SideQuest
by Mysia Ri
Summary: AU story: What if Bakura won? Bakura finally got his revenge and tries to move on, willing to accept whatever awaits him in the afterlife. What he didn't expect was to be sent back to earth and told to undo the damage his revenge caused?
1. 1: Bast

AN: If you're reading this and have read this story before, you'll notice *gasp* the AN section is different now!

I'm been gone far longer than I should have been, but maybe it's for the best. I've read over my old work and _man_ are there a lot of errors. I'm going to clean this up and work on finishing this story and all of my stories. The older, wiser, married, living in Ohio now Mysia is back and, with any luck, will stay on track.

This story started out as an idea sparked from playing Fable II about 3 years ago. It tells the tale of what may have happened if Bakura had been successful. There will be some chapters posted twice: a yaoi and non-yaoi version of the tale that you can read as you choose. At first the differences might not be great, but in time we'll see.

On a final note:

Rajan and Petri are OCs that first appeared in Hooray For Oneshots, Yami Marik's Backstory. They fill a role in this story plus I like the idea of Yami Marik having a normal life in the past. There are also 2 sisters and his father mentioned in that backstory what will make appearances in this story: Zahira, Aasera, and Sakani. Those are also mine ;).

Malik = Good Marik and Marik refers to Yami Marik. That, too, will change in time but for now please enjoy this tale.

* * *

It was over.

After roughly three thousand years.

The thief looked out over the desert, darkness rapidly spreading over the land. Somewhere in the distance he heard them: the Pharaoh's "friends", but it didn't matter. He had won. He had gotten his revenge.

Zorc roared triumphantly as shadows appeared around him and took the form of dark, familiar creatures, each flying away from their master to do his unspoken bidding. He turned his gaze to his long-time servant, who still occupied the body of his host though the Millennium Ring, as with the other items, were now scattered far and wide.

"You have served me well, thief." His voice shook the very air around them. "Name your reward and it will be granted."

The thief raised his gaze toward the demon half-heartedly. 'Reward...but...' he looked away. 'I have my revenge. The Pharaoh's soul is gone. I have my revenge. Why do I feel so...hollow?' "My reward? Heh..." he shook his head. "I'm done here. I'm ready to go. So let my soul leave this world and don't harm my host. My _former_ host."

Zorc seemed to huff a bit as though annoyed by the request. "So be it."

Hot, white light blinded the thief as his soul was released from the world of the living and he instinctively brought his arms up to shield his eyes until it passed. Upon opening his eyes, he found he wore the outfit he had the day he had died: a red robe with white lines along the edges and the cuffs of the sleeves, a black shenti, and a simple pair of shoes. The jewelry that he had been wearing as well as the ancient duel disk, the dia diank, were absent but not missed.

He looked around the room finding it simple and resembling the construction work of an ancient tomb though well lit.

"Huh, so we had the right religion all along?" he asked aloud, expecting the voice the followed, though it still made him jump.

"It all depends on the religion you believe in really," a woman spoke laughingly. "But everyone who dies must be judged."

"Yeah yeah," the thief sighed, waving a hand. "The whole revenge and resurrecting Zorc thing means I get fed to Ammit(1). In my defense, I have no regrets. Let's just get this over with." He made a face when the woman laughed. "What?"

"You honestly think Ammit would eat you? Or that I would let her? Oh no no no," the woman smiled, appearing before him, her index finger pointing upward and moving from side to side. Her skin was darkly tanned and her, long, black hair was pulled back and braided. Her eyes shined a mix of green and gold and looked cat-like with slitted pupils. She wore a simple yet elegant sand-colored dress that hugged her body but left her arms bare revealing gold cuffs on her upper arms and wrists that matched the gold choker around her neck. "You don't get out of it that easily."

"Oh?" The thief cocked his head, folding his arms over his chest.

The woman smiled. "Your fate has already been decided. You have to go back to the world of the living and fix what you have done."

This time the thief laughed. "Oh yes, that's an excellent idea. Send me back to undo what I spent _three thousand_ years trying to do. What makes you think I'd do that?"

"Because you don't have a choice." The woman poked him in the chest the the same finger she'd had extended. "We have watched you all your life." The room took on a sudden blue glow, the thief looking around alarmed. "The problem, you see, is that you cannot be judged because you lack two necessary components. Tell me," she paused briefly, tilting her head slightly, "what is your name?"

"It's Bak..." the thief began but faltered.

"That was Ryou's last name. The one you've become accustomed to over the past few years. But what is your true name? The name your mother gave you. Before we can judge you, you will need to remember it."

"Che, g-give me a minute...it's been a long time..." the thief grumbled, racking his mind for the answer.

"I could give you a thousand years and you would likely not recall. And we do not have that much time, I'm afraid." She offered the thief a soft smile. "The other thing you lack is a heart weight(2). We have seen your nature and your deeds when you were influenced by your anger and Zorc. I can see in your eyes that influence has shaped you, but we need to judge you, not you and Zorc. Think of it as being given a fair chance."

"I refuse," the thief snapped defiantly.

"I thought you might," the woman sighed. "Unfortunately I cannot act until you are willing to move. I will just let you have some time to think about it." The glow receded from the room and the woman vanished. "You'll find time passes about the same here as it does on the mortal level, but you will you no longer have any mortal requirements. See you in a week!"

"What!? This is bullshit!" the thief shouted, growling as he was answered by his echo. "Fine," he sniffed, "it's not like I'm not used to sitting around doing nothing. The hell are they thinking trying to make me "fix what's I've done"." He scrowled and found a place to recline.

* * *

Three years later

* * *

The woman appeared in the room a few feet from the thief. She hadn't changed over the years, which annoyed the thief as did the rest of his prison. Though he had been so certain he could outlast her will to keep him there or find some way to escape, the isolation was wearing him down.

As she had done since her second visit, she didn't speak, simply waiting for a reply. He knew she would keep waiting for five minutes before leaving again for another week. It was the only way he could keep track of the passage of time.

She had, however, giving him a box of crayons on the second week, which he had made use of. The walls had some color to them now in the form of murals. One wall depicted a street in Japan, another a battlefield littered with corpses, one of a meadow filled with flowers. The wall the thief sat against, however, was colored to resemble the ruins of Kul Elna.

The woman had never commented on the murals. She only brought more crayons each visit to replace the ones he had used.

The thief reached behind his ear and produced a black crayon, making a mark on the floor to add to the over 150 others he had made to keep track of her visits.

"Answer me this," he began. "How much longer are you going to keep me here?" He lifted his gaze when she didn't respond, though he hadn't expected her to. "I'm not going to change my mind so just send me to hell or feed me to Ammit. Limbo even. **Why are you keeping me here!?**" he shouted finally, getting to his feet.

"I already told her why," she returned softly.

"Bullshit. Doesn't some god up here keep track of names? He could tell you mine. Then just judge me as evil and kill me or whatever you do up here. That's _fine_ with me. Why does this have to be so difficult!?" He turned away from her and seethed.

"Because." Before the thief could yell at her for such a response, he felt her hands cover his eyes. "You are the only one who can stop this."

The thief's head reeled as she flooded his mind with images of how the world had changed. Darkness covered everything and those who offered resistance or tried to inspire hope were hunted down by Zorc's creatures. Cities laid in ruin and people ran for shelter or prostrated themselves before the demon when he appeared.

"Nothing can exist out of balance," the woman spoke. "The world is dying. Not just its people, but the Earth itself. If the balance of light and shadow isn't restored soon, then all will be lost."

The thief turned to face her. "Why aren't the gods doing anything?"

"The "gods", as you say, cannot. The shadows prevent them from doing so. Needless to say, they did not anticipate Zorc's power to grow in his confinement. Nor did they think a human would sacrifice so many lives and weaken his prison." She lifted her hands to his cheeks. "There is another reason you need to go back. Not only because of your skills or your connection to Zorc, but because of who you are.

Long ago, when Zorc was first sealed, the "gods" wanted to ensure there would always be a fail-safe in the event of his escape. They chose six men and women at that time and imbued them with power: three with the resplendence of light and three with the shroud of darkness. Over the course of time, those powers have been passed on and now only six remain once more." She turned away and gestured to the center of the room. Three pillars of light appeared, each bearing the image of a person. "You recognize them, do you not? These are the three who bare the power of light."

"Yugi, Malik, and...Ryou," the thief acknowledged.

"Yes. You have also met their counter parts: those baring the power of shadow." Three more pillars of light appeared.

"Except the Pharaoh and I are dead and that guy is also Malik," he scoffed, gesturing to the image of how Malik appeared during the last part of Battle City tournament.

"The nameless Pharaoh is only a prisoner. He is not dead," the woman explained. "Zorc doesn't possess the power to destroy him, only to seal him away as his soul bound to the Millennium Puzzle. However, the pieces are scattered and the core piece is well guarded. As for the other man, he is not Malik. They are from the same clan, though separated by thousands of years. His name was also lost to the years, though I believe he calls himself "Marik" now."

""Now"? The Pharaoh beat him in the Battle City finals."

"No, Malik defeated him, though the Pharaoh did help greatly. Marik's soul was lost to the shadows, which are now ever-present in the world. You need only to find him, I will handle it from there." She gestured to the teens. "Yugi and his Grandfather remain in Domino City. Malik and his brother and sister are in Egypt. Ryou, however, is kept by one of Zorc's generals under lock and key."

"You talk as if I've decided to go along with your little game," the thief snorted.

"Would it change your mind if I told you that Ryou wants to see you again?"

"..."

"The other items," she continued," were scattered as well, though others have been looking for them. And you'll need to visit Kul Elna and reassemble Diabound's tablet. You will need all the help you can get."

"What else?"

"You will need the three gods once more, though you'll find there are no more Duel Monsters cards. Not to worry, however, for even the gods were once Ka spirits. To make it even easier, Marik possesses Raa. Obelisk's and Osiris' original owners, or Ba as you called them, were reborn some time ago in Egypt. Sadly they were born to different families this time, but once they are reunited with Marik, they should remember their pasts." Two more pillars of light appeared, the image of a man who looked to be in his early twenties appearing in the first. His skin was tanned and his hair a sandy blond. What really caught the theif's attention was his crimson eyes. "Rajan is a scholar and a linguist, which will prove useful to you in your travels. I suggest seeking him soon. The other is named Petri," she gestured to the teen displayed in the other pillar. His skin and hair were similar to Rajan;s but his eyes were a deep blue. "You likely won't be able to earn his trust until you have found Marik."

"You're asking alot you know," the thief tsked. "Not only do you want me to undo my revenge, you want to gather all these people, most of which hate me; recollect all of the Millennium Items, one of which is in pieces; and you expect me to work with the Pharaoh, whom, if you'll recall, was the target of my revenge."

"How did revenge feel?" the woman asked cooly, leveling her gaze on him. "Did you enjoy it? Was it just as you imagined it? Don't bother responding, I already know. Otherwise you wouldn't be here right now, after all. Your revenge was the only thing driving you. Certainly, you felt relieved to have it done with, but then you were left with nothing and you felt empty. That is because it was the only purpose you allowed yourself your entire life." She pointed to the image of the former Pharaoh. "You know his name. You must because you opened the door and let Zorc out. But did you know that he regrets what happened to Kul Elna? That he is ashamed that such a travesty could go unnoticed by his father? Did you know that, after his father learned of the fate of Kul Elna, the weight of that travesty led to his death?"

The thief stared at the image of his arch-nemesis silently.

"You got your revenge. What now? Should everyone suffer because-"

"The world's never done me any favors," the thief cut her off with a glare. "I'll go, but only because I'm sick of being here and I'm sick of being alive. After all this time, I just want it to be over. That's all."

"You may regret saying that," she replied gently. "I'll be watching over you, but you will have to rely on your wits. If I help you too much, Zorc will sense my presence. He'll know something is going on and find you before your journey has a chance to begin." She held a hand out to the thief, offerings a black belt-like collar bearing a silver, ball-like bell. "Take this. It will be our connection."

"Heh, I figured you were Bast(3)," the thief said, taking the collar and putting it on.

"You know me as Bast," Bast replied with a smile. "Good luck, mortal," she said, raising her hands. A blue glow engulfed the thief as she prepared to send him back.

"Call me Bakura."

* * *

AN:

(1)Ammit: I'm sure it gets called lots of things, but it's the creature that devoured the bad souls. It was said to have the head of a crocodile, the mid-section of wild cat, and the hindquarters of a hippo.

(2)This is in reference to the fact that Egyptian's believed that their heart would be weighed against the feather of Ma'at in judgment. Also a reference to a comic I read on deviant art where both Bakura and Atem were sent back to Earth because Bakura couldn't be judged until he had a heart weight of his own.

(3)Bast: One of the numerous gods. Oh the numbers of gods back in those days. She sort of boils down to being the goddess of the domestic cat but she had a war-like aspect. So...yeah, a cat. :p

Hehehehe, Bakura gets to wear a cat collar.


	2. 2: There Is No Alternative

AN: There was a question: "Is this fic an AU after the Memory World arc in which Bakura (and Zorc) wins the battle?"

To be clear, yes. This is an AU(Alternate Universe) story. :3

Things written like so: "/Words go here/" means that the person is speaking a language other than Japanese. So all characters who are speaking Japanese are talking like this: "Words words words".

* * *

The first sensation Bakura became aware of was pain. He groaned hands groping the ground to find it unpleasantly soft and gritty as he pushed himself up onto his knees, spitting and huffing to try to dislodge the sand from his nose and mouth.

"Well this is just grand," he muttered, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. He wore the familiar red robe, black shenti, and shoes of his past, though in the shadows that surrounded him they could have been any color. He shook his head before running his fingers through his hair, cursing the sand as he looked around. "Where the fuck am I?"

In response, the silver bell on the collar he'd almost forgotten he wore chimed softly, it's tone sounding somewhat distant. He was forced to shield his eyes momentarily as it emitted a silvery light.

_This place should be familiar to you,_ Bast's voice spoke, though looking around he couldn't find her. _I'm speaking to you through the collar. Only you can hear me._

"Oh joy," the thief muttered, looking around again. "This...this is where the tablet is."

_That's right!_ Bast chimed in the tone one might use to congratulate a child or pet. Bakura frowned. _This was the last place you were three years ago. Do you notice anything else?_

"What is this? The inane American show _Blue's Clues_?" he snapped. "Let's see...everything looks about the same but just...gray?"

_The earth is dying, as I mentioned before. This was the epicenter of the decay and is the most deteriorated. Look up at the sky. The sun is permanently eclipsed by the moon, which has caused several problems, though you'll find out to what extent in time._

Bakura looked up the black circle in the sky rimmed with a dim, fiery glow. "So what the fuck do you expect me to do?"

A sharp click sounded behind the thief's head. "I expect you to remain still."

"I know you," Bakura replied, even as he slowly raised his hands to show he was unarmed. "You were Malik's patsy back in the Duel City tournament. Rishid, was it?" He turned his head slightly, trying to get a look at the man.

"...Who are you. Answer now," Rishid snapped, poking the back of the thief's head with the barrel of his gun.

"Bakura."

"Lies. You look nothing like Ryou Bakura."

"That's because I'm not Ryou. _You_ would know me better as the spirit of the Millennium Ring. This is what I looked like three thousand years ago." Bakura turned slowly to face the other man. "Or do you see that many people who look and dress like this who can also speak Japanese?"

While Rishid mulled this over, the gun still aimed at Bakura's head, the thief took in the other's appearance. He hadn't changed much physically since he had last seen the taller man. Stronger and a bit wiser but still bald save for a lone bit of hair tied at the nape of his neck. His outfit consisted of a black, padded vest, presumably bullet proof, worn over a black, long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, and sturdy black boots, all of which showed heavy wear.

"You're supposed to be dead," Rishid growled.

"Are you going to shoot me or just stand there failing to look menacing?" Bakura asked, sounding decisively bored. "Because I don't want to be here anymore than I'm wanted, I assure you."

Rishid narrowed his eyes, hand tensing as though he might pull the trigger. Bakura wasn't certain if he was disappointed or relieved when the other man relaxed slightly. "What is that light?" he demanded.

"Hell if I know," the thief tsked, reaching a hand up to poke the bell at this throat. "Bast probably did it just to piss me off. Pretty sure she hates me too."

"Bast?" the tombkeeper asked skeptically.

"She's the one that sent me back here. Apparently I'm supposed to "fix what I did" or I'm not allowed to die," Bakura explained, complete with finger quote. "So if you don't mind, I need to figure out what the fuck she wants me to do."

_Go with Rishid._

"You're coming with me," Rishid said in a voice that left no room for objection. "We'll see what Isis and Malik have to say about your story."

Bakura sighed. "Seems I don't have a choice."

Much to Rishid's surprise, the thief complied with being searched for weapons and having his wrists bound. They walked in silence for a time, the tombkeeper leading the tombrobber across the unnaturally cool desert. Bakura felt a strange sense of deja vu but brushed it aside.

"Can you turn that light off?" Rishid asked finally. "Or cover it? We don't want to draw attention."

"Right, because I can do that," Bakura muttered sourly. To his annoyance, the light began to dim. "So what "unwanted attention" would there be to draw out here anyway? Don't tell me people are roaming the desert now. There's even _less_ to see here than there was before."

"It's cool enough to travel across," Rishid began. "People cross it hoping to get somewhere safer only to be sorely mistaken. The only thing they can hope for is passage out of Egypt, though it does little good. After Zorc was released, he blotted out the sun. Natural disasters occurred around the world: earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides. Coastal areas and islands that were once desired resorts are uninhabitable and dangerous. Not that you care."

"I'm hurt that you think I don't care," Bakura replied sarcastically.

"Can you feel it?" Rishid asked, blatantly ignoring the thief's remark. "The wind doesn't even blow here anymore. The air is stagnant. It is constantly this same temperature that is neither hot not cold. I fear it is only a matter of time before this area becomes uninhabitable as well."

"Then why don't you leave?"

"We have a reason to stay for now," Rishid replied simply. He came to a stop before a wooden door set into a stone frame jutting from the ground. While he opened it, Bakura took note of the ruins surrounding them.

"Where are we?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"These ruins were once a temple. It's construction was ordered by Pharaoh Set in order to house the first tombkeepers, destined to carry the secrets of the nameless Pharaoh's memories until his return," Rishid explained, urging the thief down the stone stairway, pausing only to close the entrance behind them.

"Pharaoh Set?"

"The Pharaoh who took the throne after the nameless Pharaoh. You've seen his image before. On the stone tablet that held the Pharaoh's memories. The one that resembles Seto Kaiba."

"I know who you're talking about," Bakura tsked, looking at the stone walls. Hieroglyphs and pictographs covered the walls, most of which he recognized as wards or various details about this being a sacred place. "Didn't know the prick made Pharaoh. So he's the one that doomed you all to live underground? Nice."

"You'd be amazed at the amount of information that was saved over the years," Rishid replied coolly. "Though it doesn't help us now. We failed in our duty to aid the nameless Pharaoh and are living with the consequences of _your_ decision to release Zorc."

"/Pardon me friend/," another voice called from behind them in Arabic. A woman rushed toward them, coming to a stop beside Rishid. "/Is this the inn I heard of/?"

"/Ah, you found us/," Rishid smiled, Bakura noting it was the first time he had seen the man smile. "/Would you like me to show you to the main room/?"

"/Would you/?" she asked, eying Bakura curiously. "/Who's this/?"

"/A passing thief. I assure you he's mostly harmless/," Rishid insisted, glaring at Bakura.

"_Mostly_ harmless? Is that meant to be an insult?" the thief snorted. He scorwled a bit when the woman laughed.

"/You can't be that good of a thief with that belled collar you're wearing, friend/," she pointed out with a smile.

"Oh look, she thinks she's a comedian," Bakura rolled his eyes. "Can we get a move on? This rope is starting to chafe."

"/He doesn't speak Arabic huh/?" the woman asked Rishid, walking beside the tombkeeper as he continued down the hall.

'That's a heavy pack she's wearing,' Bakura thought to himself as he looked over the woman's attire. She only came up to the thief's shoulder in height and was a healthy weight. The pack she carried on her back was weather worn but in good shape and half her size. She had tanned skin and long, black hair pulled back in a braid and wore padded leather boots, blue jeans, and a white, long sleeved shirt under a black vest. A leather belt hugged her waist, a metal dagger hanging heavily on one side. He guessed by her gait that she had been traveling for some time and was strong enough to be used to the weight of her gear.

"/He can, he's just being difficult/," Rishid was assuring the woman. "/Here we are. It isn't much, but we are honored by your presence, harper(1) friend./"

"/Thank you. I see you're busy with your thief so I'll get my news from your other patrons./" With a small bow, she moved further into the open area, which looked more like a hospital waiting room minus the chairs than the lobby of a hotel that the thief was expecting.

"What was that nonsense about?" Bakura asked.

"Isis," Rishid called lowly, trying to get his adopted sister's attention without drawing too much suspicion. The woman turned from the man she was attending and gave him a curious look before seeing the thief. She looked between them a moment before making a motion with her head, indicating she would be a moment. The taller tombkeeper nodded and grabbed Bakura's elbow, guiding him further down the hall to a room that was bare save for a simple bed.

"Sit."

"Yes master," Bakura sighed, rolling his eyes as he sat on the bed, his nose wrinkling at both the dust and smell that the mattress released. "There. I'm sitting, like a good boy. Do I get a treat now? Perhaps a belly rub?"

"That woman was a harper," Rishid began, again ignoring Bakura's sarcasm. "Harpers are...bards to say the least. They do much for the world by gathering news to share with others as well as offering music, singing, andstories to try and lift the spirits of the crestfallen. They identify themselves by referring to others as "friend" when they first approach and consider themselves friends to any who will listen and share stories with them. Strange how the first few were mocked and yet, in only three years, they've become a source of light in this shadow-mired world."

"Poetic," Bakura huffed. Before he could ask another question, Isis entered the room, Malik in tow. While Isis had changed little, though looking older than the thief knew her to be, Malik had gotten stronger in the past several years as well as letting his hair grow out. His lilac eyes seemed darker and more mature and he had traded his belly shirt for a short-sleeved, dark purple, button up shirt worn over a white top. The rest of his outfit remained about the same though he no longer wore any jewelry save his earrings.

"/Rishid, who is this/?" Isis asked.

"He says he was the spirit in the Millennium Ring," Rishid answered in Japanese. "And that he has come back to-"

"You!" Malik snapped, lunging toward Bakura and aiming a punch at his face. Quick reflexes found the thief on his feet and out of harm's way before he had fully registered the danger and he ducked behind Rishid.

"And I'm back because I'm supposed to "fix what I did"," he said, raising his hands and doing his best to emphasis the reason with air quotes.

"Why the hell should we believe what you say, you bastard!" Malik shouted, Isis quickly moving to try and calm him down.

"Quiet, we don't need to alarm the others," she hissed.

"Quiet!?" Malik growled, trying to keep his voice low. "Isis, he damned us all! He summoned Zorc and left us to die! Why should we believe what he has to say?"

Bakura winced as the bell on his collar lit up again, the silver-light filling the room.

_"He speaks the truth. Listen to what he has to say."_ Bast's voice spoke. The light suddenly extinguished, the thief giving his captors a half-smug look of satisfaction.

"What was that?" Malik asked, looking around.

"That...is what you two have to find out," Isis sighed, turning to leave. "I need to keep an eye on our guests. Just...keep him out of trouble. Please."

* * *

"So, what should we do?"

After hearing Bakura's tale, Rishid and Malik had returned to Isis and the three siblings had retreated to a private room to talk. The harper who had arrived was singing so they were certain she would at least keep the others distracted from their absence.

"/_Trapped inside an ugly life  
Stuck in my cocoon  
I needed some wings to make it right  
I had to fly away real soon/"_

Isis regarded her brother a moment before responding. "If he is telling the truth? I suppose that is your choice, Malik."

"I don't know if we can trust him," Malik muttered irritably. "He's telling me that I can somehow help save the world with some light-power I have. It doesn't sound real."

"I think we should believe him."

"What?" Malik gaped at Rishid.

"What have we been doing for the past three years?" Rishid asked. "Hiding underground? We are Tomb Keepers, protectors of secret knowledge and destined to help the nameless Pharaoh regain his memory."

"We failed, Rishid!" Malik snapped, getting to his feet and slamming a hand on the table between them, the other pointing in Bakura's general direction. "And it's _his_ fault!"

"Maybe..." Isis began.

"You too! He's the bad guy! We can't trust him!" the youngest Ishtar snapped.

"_/Oooh your wrong, wrong  
You've been held down too long, long  
I'm gonna go, go  
Cause this is the way I wanna live  
There is no alternative /_"

"A change must start somewhere. Think of what we have seen from Bakura since his return. He hasn't tried to attack us and twice now I have seen that strange light coming from his collar," Rishid explained. "And how would you explain that voice we heard? It could be Bast, as he claims."

"We have three of the items already," Isis pointed out. "We can't hope that the other four will come to us so easily. And even if we had managed to re-gather the items on our own, what would we be able to do against Zorc? Plus, the Millennium Puzzleis in pieces and maybe Bakura is the only one who can find them all."

"And now you even want to trust him with the Millennium Ring?" Malik hissed. "I...I don't know. I guess...it would be better than sitting here waiting to die."

A flash of light drew their attention to a spot on the wall. Isis hurried toward it, pulling free a loose brick and reaching through the hole. When she pulled her hand back she held the Millennium Necklace in her palm.

"The Necklace...it hasn't shined since Zorc..." Isis clasped it around her neck, closing her eyes to see what vision it held. Malik and Rishid stood motionless until she turned to face them, biting her lip anxiously. "It...didn't show much. But one thing was clear."\

* * *

Bakura stood in the hallway, peering into the main room to see what was going on. He had easily slipped free of the rope binding his wrists when he had been alone and had considered leaving. It would have been easy as he was certain people must come and go all the time. No one would notice the passing of one person.

But he had stayed, mostly because he felt he didn't have the choice to leave. If he wanted to move on, he would need to do as Bast said, no matter how much he disliked the idea. And in order to do that, he needed Malik so he might as well collect him now.

"_/I busted through the atmosphere  
Into the clouds I'll fly  
Cause up on top is where I stay  
now I'll do what I like/_"

He leaned his head against the wall, watching the woman he had met before singing and dancing. She had removed her vest, revealing that her white shirt didn't cover her midsection. Her style of dance reminded him of a belly dancer.

"How did you get loose," Malik demanded. Bakura turned to face the blond, quirking a brow.

"In my past, I was called the King of Thieves, or Thief King. I'm sure you can figure out the rest." They stared at the other for a moment. "Well? You coming?"

Drawing in a deep breath, he did his best to release most of his anger. "Sitting here isn't going to change anything. Rishid's coming too."

"_That's a good thing,"_ Bast's voice purred, silencing any protest from Bakura.

"Fine. Gonna be a bitch though. I have no idea where to start and Bast isn't exactly being helpful. "Needle in a haystack" is an understatement to our situation."

"We've been working on it actually." Malik pulled the Millennium Ring out from under his shirt. "We also have the Rod and the Necklace."

"If you have the Ring then why don't you have the other items already?" Bakura asked.

"I can't get it to work," the blond admitted. "I've used the Rod, though. I've been having the ghouls(2) search for the other items. In all they've only come up with three pieces of the Millennium Puzzle I think. I know one for sure. Problem is that they're in the US. Travel across the ocean is nearly impossible and extremely dangerous now."

"So what do we do?"

"Isis and Rishid will see what they can find out from the harper. She might have heard something. In the meantime, we're going to see about this "Diabound" of yours." He smirked and tucked the Ring back under his shirt. "I'm holding onto this for now. And I also have the Millennium Rod so don't try anything."

"Psh, whatever." He turned away and started toward the exit.

"_/-this is the way I wanna live  
There is no alternative(3)/_"

Malik looked to the harper, who was taking a bow before she began on her next song.

"There is no alternative..." the blond repeated. With a small nod, he followed after the thief. "So where is Diabound?"

Bakura glanced over his shoulder. "Shouldn't be too far from here actually. It's in the ruins of a village that was once called Kul Elna."

* * *

AN: [Malik has joined the party!]

(1)Harper: a reference to the Dragon Riders of Pern series by Anne Macaffery. The reason will have an in-story explanation soon!

(2)Ghouls: Malik's mind-slaves from the Battle City tournament.

(3) "There Is No Alternative" is a song by Tina Sugandh from Disney's "Ice Princess" movie. I cut down the amount of lyrics used in the edits but I tried to keep the feel.


	3. 3: Looking For A Ride

"This seems like a stupid idea," Bakura argued when he saw Malik getting onto a motorcycle. At the tombkeeper's insistence, he had exchanged his shenti for a pair of black jeans that belonged to Rishid, though he had refused to part with his robe.

"Gas is a luxury and we're lucky to have what we do. My bike gets better mileage than our cars. It's set up to ride on sand," the blond explained dryly. He tossed a helmet to the thief before putting on his own. "Get on behind me and hold tight. And don't try anything funny or you'll get us both killed."

Bakura frowned at the helmet but decided that arguing would only make things worse. As he mounted the bike, he gave the younger man a look. "What's so funny?"

"That collar you're wearing." Malik flipped up his visor and smirked at Bakura. "It looks ridiculous on you. Just thought you should know." He grinned, flipping the visor down and revving the engine to drown out thief's retort.

The trip took only an hour, the thief directing Malik where to go. He was surprised at how easy it was to find his way back to Kul Elna after so long, not that he would tell his companion this. He was also surprised that the ruins weren't long buried beneath the sand.

"They were digging this place up three years ago," Malik explained, looking around the long lost village. "They were calling it Khayal Daskara: Ghost Village." He removed his helmet and combed his fingers through his hair. "There's no record of it or the people who lived here."

"And there wouldn't have been," Bakura snorted, hanging his helmet on one of the handlebars. "I'm surprised they didn't called it "Ghost Village" for the spirits still lingering here...huh, why are they still here?" he asked himself, wandering into the village.

"Spirits? You mean there are ghosts here?" Malik asked, looking around as he followed behind the thief.

"Yeah, but then you probably can't see them like I can." The thief paused, taking in his surroundings. "Over here," he announced, walking to his left.

"You can see them?"

"Yeah. Always could. They won't bother you because I'm here. But..." Bakura trailed off, tsking softly and turning his attention to the impossibly dark hole in the ground. "Hmn, those fools were down there too. That isn't good." He made a face and poked the bell on his collar. When nothing unexpected happened, he growled. "Hey Bast. Can't see here. Wanna help?"

_"Say please,"_ Bast purred in his mind, earning a snarl from the thief.

"Isn't it enough that I'm here because you didn't give me a choice!?" he snapped, shooting Malik a dark glare when the blond snickered. " Shut the fuck up!"

"You're standing there wearing a cat collar and yelling at nothing. Right, I'll just stand here and not find this hilarious. Go on."

Bakura growled. "Bast. _Please_ make that light-thing happen again. _I_ would _appreciate_ it," he said through clenched teeth.

_"Of course, Bakura." _The bell chimed softly, emitting its silver light once more.

"At least your ridiculous collar is useful," Malik smirked, moving down the stairs. Bakura followed a step behind and wondered how many steps the blond would fall if pushed. "You know a lot about this place. Is this where you grew up then?"

"It's my home village," Bakura responded coldly. "I didn't really grow up here, though." He shivered faintly as memories of the village stirred in his mind, but he pushed them aside.

"Why's that?" Malik pressed.

"Why do you care?"

"Just making conversation," the blond shrugged. "Seems strange that there's no record of this place. It's like it was just...erased from time. I guess that happens though." The thief bit his tongue, deciding to keep the village's history to himself lest Malik find another reason to ridicule him. "Alright, we've reached the bottom."

Bakura brushed passed Malik, examining the chamber with a frown.

"Doesn't look like there's anything down here..." the blond pointed out.

"Bast!" Bakura snapped. "Where is Diabound?"

A shimmer of light before him was his only warning to the goddess' sudden appearance. She hovered just above the ground, looking over the tomb with a small frown. "My apologies. I wasn't aware he had been moved." She turned, looking between Malik and Bakura. "Malik may know something. Ask him."

"Ask him your-... ... ...You can't see her, can you?" the thief turned to Malik.

"Nope."

"Fan-fucking-tastic," Bakura sighed, pointing at Bast while still looking at the blond. "_She_ suggested that _you_ might know where Diabound was moved. Where were the trespassers from?"

"The tres...Oh, the archaeologists. Well, they dealt with Isis not me, but most seemed American. I don't know where they would have sent this Diabound thing off hand. Isis might know." Malik sighed, resting his hands on his hips and looking around. "Damn, we came out here for nothing then..."

"I have to go. I can't stay too long or Zorc will notice me," Bast apologized. "But I don't think this trip is a waste. I think there might be something hidden here," she hinted, offering Bakura a smile before she disappeared.

"Hidden here?" Bakura repeated, rounding on Malik. "Let me see the Ring."

The blond pulled the Millennium Ring out from under his shirt, holding it out to the thief but keeping the cord around his neck. "You can use it, but I'm holding onto it too. I don't trust you, remember?"

'I could just take it from you,' Bakura thought irritably but forced the urge to do so down. Much as he didn't want to admit it, not only did Malik have reason to distrust him, he was going to have to earn the man's trust if he wanted to finish his mission.

"Fine." Grabbing a hold of the Millennium Ring in one hand, Bakura closed his eyes, focusing on the familiar pull of the other Millennium Items that he had sought for so long.

"Something's happening," Malik announced. The thief opened his eyes and saw that four of the prongs pointed toward the blond while the one in the center pointed upward, wavering slightly.

"There's something in the village," Bakura announced. "It's giving a weak signal though." After a moment, he nodded, releasing his hold on the Ring and climbing the stairs.

"Why were the others pointing at me?" Malik demanded, following a step behind.

"It should be obvious. You have the Millennium Rod on you," the thief rolled his eyes. "Because _I_ don't have the Rod in my possession, it was directing me towards it as well."

"You knew I was carrying it," Malik pointed out. "Shouldn't it-"

"I haven't used the Millennium Ring in three years," Bakura cut him off. "Besides, why is it bothering you so much? You act like I did it intentionally to piss you off."

"You don't have to be such an ass," the blond snapped. "Oh wait, forgot who I was talking to."

"Shut up. Now, the Ring indicated it was in this direction. Let me hold it again," Bakura demanded, holding his hand out to the blond. Malik begrudgingly shoved the Ring into the thief's hand, clinging to the opposite side tightly. Together they followed the signal through the ruins of Kul Elna.

"Heh," Bakura smirked finally, releasing his hold on the Ring and dropping into a crouch. "Hello there, _Pharaoh_. Strange to find it just lying here out in the open like this..." he trailed off, a cold chill running down his spine. He rose quickly and grabbed Malik's wrist, dragging the blond along and ignoring his shouts of protest until he wrenched himself free.

"What the hell's your problem!?" Malik demanded angrily, drawing the Millennium Rod.

"_My_ problem is that was too easy," Bakura hissed. "We need to leave _now_."

"What? You said the spirits wouldn't bother us with you here."

"They're not what I'm worried about." A roar pierced the silence of the long-dead village and the thief pointed behind Malik. "_That_. That is what I'm worried about. Now let's hurry before it finds us."

"What...what is it?" the blond asked, clinging to the Millennium Rod with both hands. Bakura rolled his eyes and grabbed him by the arm.

"Don't know. Don't care. Don't plan on finding out. MOVE." Bakura ran toward the entrance of the village, determined to put as much distance between the creature and himself as possible. It seemed to be working as Malik's motorcycle came into view until something caught the thief's attention. Without missing a beat, he pivoted and tackled the blond to the ground, narrowly escaping a whirling as blade. They got back to their feet to see their attacker racing toward them.

"Minotaurus(1)?" Malik blinked in surprise.

"Stupid questions later! Start the damn bike, I'll be right behind you," Bakura snapped, glaring at the creature before him as Malik ran on ahead. "You obviously have no idea where you are right now," the thief grinned menacingly. He brought his free hand before him, focusing on his surroundings. The shadow creature roared, swinging its ax at the thief only to find the attack blocked. It reared back, as it was swarmed by spirits seen only by the thief.

"Bakura!" Malik called, pulling his bike up behind the thief. Bakura grabbed the offered helmet as he climbed on behind Malik, struggling to put it on as the blond sped away from Kul Elna.

'Thank you,' Bakura thought, closing his eyes. He squeezed the fragment of the Millennium Puzzle that his still held in hand.

"What the hell was that!?" Malik called back. The thief smirked, feeling the blond's heart was racing in his chest, much like his own. "A Duel Monster? But how?"

"Something under Zorc's control I'd guess," he called back. "Probably here to watch over the puzzle piece."

"We're going to have to face something like that again aren't we?"

"Probably."

They rode in silence for a while before Malik spoke again. "What did you do back there? He acted like he was being attacked by a swarm of bees or something."

"Let's just say I called in a favor."

* * *

Bakura watched after Malik and Rishid as they left to make preparations for their journey before returning his attention to Isis. Malikand he had informed the Ishtar siblings of what they found, and didn't find, in Kul Elna.

"I'll do everything I can to track down Diabound's tablet," she promised, offering the thief a small bow.

"If you do, see if you can't get it put back together while you're at it," Bakura replied blandly. "I'll know if you do."

"Alright. You should get some rest. When all of you are ready, you'll head to Cairo and look into this transportation our harper friend mentioned. It is a long shot, but it's the best option we have right now."

"Didn't Malik own a boat?" Bakura asked. "Seems like a good option to me."

"He still has that boat in storage, which is how it shall remain," Isis replied sternly. "Ocean travel is suicidal if done improperly. It takes knowledge of how the tides work now. There is rumor that boats still travel the Atlantic and Pacific. And before you ask, flying is out of the question. Unauthorized planes draw Zorc's shadow creatures, like the one in Kul Elna. There are only a few planes now that fly cargo around, but what they transport is inspected for weapons and stow aways." She sighed, shaking her head. "You'll find it hard to get around."

"We'll figure it out somehow," Bakura shrugged, mulling this new information over silently.

"This group in Cairo works to help relocate those who were stranded here after Zorc took over," Isis continued after a moment. "I don't know how far they can take you or even if they are still in operation after three years, but you'll have to convince them that you need to go to Japan. If they think you're just a native looking for a free ride out of Africa, they'll turn you down."

Without a word, Bakura nodded and turned to leave.

"One last thing," Isis began, the thief pausing to hear her out. "Don't mention the harper that was here to anyone."

"Why not?"

"Because Zorc would have her hunted down. Harpers instill hope with their stories and songs and-."

"I'll keep that in mind," Bakura replied curtly, leaving to find someplace to sleep.

"We have enough gas to make it to Cairo. We'll abandon the car outside the city and go from there," Rishid explained, loading their bags into the back of the car.

"Hard to believe we're actually leaving," Malik sighed, twirling the Millennium Rod in one hand idly. "You still have my bike if you need to get out of here, sis. You remember what I taught you?"

"I do...Rishid. Malik. Be careful out there. I..." Isis trailed off, biting her lip. Malik turned and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I will be fine."

"We'll be careful, Isis. Don't worry about us. Just stay safe."

Rishid hugged them both, pressing a kiss to the side of Isis' head. Bakura watched the scene, mildly annoyed by their family moment but keeping his comments to himself.

"/Mr. Cat Burglar?/"

"/Cat Burglar!?/" Bakura turned to find the harper standing behind him, smiling triumphantly.

"/Ha, got you to talk to me,/" she laughed.

"/What do you want, woman?/" he demanded, glaring at her.

She held her hands up defensively, still smiling. "/I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just wanted to wish you good luck. You're going to try to reach Japan after all. I don't know your reasons, but I hope you find what you are looking for./"

"... /Thank...you,/" Bakura replied slowly. "/But shouldn't you be more worried about yourself?/"

"/True, but this is the life I chose. I won't hide away and hope for a better tomorrow when I can make a difference today. Here, I have something for you./" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a simple gold bracelet with a single charm dangling from it that resembled a scarab. "/Scarabs are supposed to be good luck,/" she explained, deftly fastening the chain to the thief's left wrist. "/Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. Goodbye Mr. Cat Burglar!/" She chimed, running off before Bakura to reply.

The thief inspected the chain, not entirely certain why he had let the woman attach it to him.

"Come on Bakura," Malik called, drawing the thief from his musings. He caught the look in Isis' eyes as he approached the vehicle.

"I make no promises," he stated simply.

"I know," she smiled a bit, patting him on the arm as he climbed into the car. She watched as they drove off, praying that it would not be the last time she saw them.

* * *

Once the trio had reached Cairo, they abandoned the car, taking only their bags with them. Malik and Rishid talked amongst themselves while Bakura followed behind in silence, studying the chain around his wrist.

Rishid lead the others into a motel lobby that had been arranged with tables and chairs. A few patrons looked up as they approached the desk though most were disinterested.

Rishid leaned close to the man at the desk, keeping his voice low. "/We have a lost one that is seeking a way to return to his family in Japan and were directed here by Sparrow./"

The man had short, black hair and storm grey eyes, which flickered to the thief before returning his attention to Rishid. "/He looks neither lost nor Japanese./"

Malik leaned close to Bakura. "Look at me, speaking Japanese to you so as not to raise suspicion."

"You suck at this," the thief sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"/His father is Japanese but his mother is Egyptian,/" Rishid lied. The man looked over Bakura again.

"/Regardless, you're about six months too late. That group ran out of fuel and broke up. Since you came all this way, though, I'll set you up with a round. Take a seat,/" he instructed, motioning to a vacant table.

"Shit," Malik tsked. "/Thank you,/" he added, moving toward the table, Bakura in tow. "Well, where does that leave us?"

"In Cairo and down an option," Rishid replied, taking a seat. "But there must be other options."

"What? Like cross the Mediterranean and hike there?" the blond sighed, shaking his head. "We still have the boat-"

"And Isis would kill you for even considering that," Rishid cut him off. "Perhaps there is an option in Europe that we don't know of. We can ask around and see if there are any harpers that know."

"If there are any harpers to be found."

"While we're looking for another way, I could try getting a fix on other Items," Bakura suggested, looking up as the man brought three mugs of something vaguely ale-like. "At least we'd have an idea of where to go instead of bumbling around in the dark."

"/Thank you/," Malik said to the man, taking a mug and making a face. "What is this swill?"

"Perhaps hunting for the items would be a better start," Rishid mused, taking a sip of his drink. "Either way, we at least know where Yugi is. But how will we find Marik and Ryou?"

"Psh, how should I know?" Bakura shrugged. "Then again, I've never tried using the Ring to track down anything but the other Millennium Items. I could try."

"You just want me to give you the Ring," Malik hissed.

"Well, unless you suddenly figure out how to use it with any sort of reliability-"

"Cut it out you two, bickering won't help us," Rishid snapped, jolting both of his companions into momentary silence. "We can compromise. Malik, you let Bakura use the Ring. Bakura, when you aren't using the Ring, let Malik hold onto it."

"Fine," Malik muttered, taking a sip of his drink and choking a bit. "Gah, bitter..."

"Whatever. All I care about is getting everything and everyone together and getting this over with," Bakura retorted. "All we have to do is avoid the big, omnipotent demon until we have everything. That should be _easy_," he added sarcastically.

"We really shouldn't be discussing this in public…" Rishid sighed, glancing around.

"It's fine," Malik insisted, taking another sip of his drink. "Not like anyone here can speak Japanese."

"Still, we should be careful."

"You worry too much, Rishid," the blond insisted.

Unnoticed by the trio, another man rose from a nearby table, moving around the counter and giving a small nod to innkeeper as he passed.

* * *

"/Well/?"

"/They certainly say some interesting things/," the man replied as he closed the door behind him. The walls of the small back room were covered in maps and charts, a single table in the center with several candles resting on it providing barely enough light to read them. A woman with sandy blond hair pulled back in a ponytail and wearing a simple white tunic and brown pants watched him as he approached the table. "/Where's dad/?"

"/He's gone home already. Why?/" the woman asked, hands resting on her hips.

The man ran a hand though his own sand-blond hair though it was cut short, startling crimson colored eyes moving over the maps on the wall thoughtfully. "/I think we should help them./"

"/What? I took a peek at them, they have to be lying. They look native,/" the woman insisted. She paused, giving the man a moment to respond before curiosity got the better of her. "/What did they say/?"

The man pursed his lips in thought. "/I probably shouldn't repeat what they said. But if I understood them right, it's something Zorc won't like. And they _are_ speaking fluent Japanese, not just rambling./"

"/They want to go to Japan though! Do you know how much fuel we have left? Not only is it not enough to go all the way, but whoever takes them will be stranded if they try to take them the whole way. Who would risk that/?" She sighed, running her fingers through her bangs. "/I could mention it to dad and ask the other pilots, but it's a long shot./"

"/Don't worry about it. I'll take them myself./"

"/Rajan-/"

"/I speak twenty-three languages and several dialects/," Rajan smirked, waving off her objection. "/I'll find my way back home eventually./"

"/And what if you don't?/" The woman snapped.

"/You can have my room,/" he replied, moving to one of the maps on the wall and reverently skimming over it with his fingertips.

"/That's not funny!/" the woman whined, grabbing his arm.

"/I should be able to get them as far as Gansu...I'll aim for Hubei though. I think there's still a railroad that runs in that area.../"

"/Are you listening to me? Mom and dad-/" she tried to argue, but he turned and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"/Listen Zahira,/" he began gently. "/Dad would be happy to sit on this last bit of fuel forever. You always said I was a good judge of character(2). Trust me when I say there's something about what they were talking about that makes me want to believe they are worth the last flight. I do believe they have a plan to defeat Zorc. I want to help them get as far as they can./"

Zahira fell silent, burying her face in Rajan's chest and sniffling.

"/Hey, you aren't allowed to cry until I'm out of earshot,/" he scolded jokingly. "/I'll be fine and I will come home one day. Until then, just believe I'm alive until I tell you otherwise./" A knock at the door drew his attention and he nodded. "/They're leaving so I have to go too, sis. Give mom and dad my love./" He kissed her on the cheek before grabbing the map off the wall and rolling it up.

Zahira sighed as he left wiping her face and sulking. "/Bye bro.../"

* * *

AN: Dun dun dun!

Two tearful goodbyes in one chapter!? And a wild Rajan appears! Can he get them to China!? Can he find his way home afterwards!?

Well that's a silly question. If you had read the game manual you'd have known he was a main character. Silly people.

(1) AKA Battle Ox., if you prefer it's American name.

(2) Osiris was a judge in the afterlife. Rajan's Ka is Osiris. Get it!? :D I'm so clever!

Next time in SideQuest, the gang makes the trip to China! Nothing special happens during their trip! It's boring and easy! Wait...what's that shadow over there...?


	4. 4: I'm On A Seaplane

AN: "Mysia, this isn't Hikari to Yami no Enishi."

"I know...bad Mysia, bad!" *goes and slams hands in the oven door*

I did sit down to write HtYnE, but this happened instead. Have no fear, I will still update it! Just...not as regularly as I was. This one just has so much potential right now. Maybe it's all the reviews I'm getting....

Anyway, so I apparently FAIL at proofreading. I do apologize. I think it's because I know what I wrote so me reading it is like...watching an episode of YGOTAS: I know all the lines so I don't pay full attention to it and just have it in the background.

Or I just fail at proofreading because I have ADD...Oh, it's snowing outside...pretty pretty...

*cough cough* Ah, right. You probably want to gt to the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't kill me at the end of it. Remember, if you strike me down I will...not get a chance to finish telling the story. :p

Oh, and because I neglected to say it sooner, I don't own Yugioh. I own Rajan, Petri, and a few other OCs that'll pop up, but if I owned Yugioh, this wouldn't be a fanfic, it would be an OVA or a video game :3

* * *

Bakura found himself taking stock of the damage done to the city of Cairo. The buildings that still stood showed structural damage. The more unstable buildings seemed to be marked with large "X"s in various colors in an attempt to warn others of the danger. The air had a stale quality to it and the smell of death and decay. Several of the people they saw seemed to be waiting to die though a few looked at the trio as if debating trying to rob them.

Malik and Rishid seemed oblivious to those people, however. Bakura found he only needed to shoot the offender a challenging/threatening glare to make them reconsider so he assumed no harm was done.

Still, the sights of the city tugged at something inside him that he couldn't quite put a finger on. After a while, he simply pushed the thoughts aside and returned his focus to what Rishid and Malik were going on about.

"/I was sure it was over here/," Malik sighed, looking around.

"/Perhaps it shut down/?" Rishid suggested. "/Let's try the west side of the city./"

"/The west is no good,/" another man interrupted, appearing from an alley just ahead of them. Crimson eyes met each of theirs as he spoke. "/Not if you're looking for a way to get to Japan./"

Malik narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "/How did you-/"

"/My apologies for not speaking to you in the inn,/" the man interrupted. "/Please follow me and I promise to explain everything./" With a nod, he moved back into the alley, expecting the others to follow.

"What should we do?" the blond asked.

"Follow him, obviously," Bakura tsked. "If he is who I think he is, we can trust him."

"Why? Who do you think he is?" the blond pressed, but the thief didn't reply, instead following after the mysterious man as he led then through alleys and back streets. Finally they came to a stop outside of a large warehouse marked with an "X" that was half red and half green.

"/It's safe, I promise,/" he insisted, opening a side door and ushering the trio in. He followed behind them, locking the door before turning to face them. "/Now then, introductions are in order, yes? My name is Rajan Attia(1)./"

Rishid nodded. "/I am Rishid Ishtar and this is my brother, Malik, and our friend Bakura.../" he trailed off, glancing back at Bakura.

"Just Bakura," the thief insisted in Japanese, eying Rajan.

"/He just prefers to simply be called Bakura,/" Rishid said.

"At this point do we need to keep up the illusion that you don't speak Arabic?" Malik asked Bakura quietly.

"/Well met, friends,/" Rajan smiled, bowing slightly. "/I was told at the inn that you were looking a way to Japan. The innkeeper had to lie to you. You see, we haven't run out of fuel, but we have run low. So low that we only have enough for one last trip./" He motioned to a map he had hung on the wall. "/Unfortunately I cannot take you all the way to Japan, but I believe I have an itinerary planned out for you. By my calculations, I should be able to take you as far as Hubei in China. From there you should be able to find transport on a train, if it is still running. Sadly if it is out of service, you will have to walk unless you find another means to travel. In Shanghai, you should be able to find a boat to Japan./"

"/That's...that's a big help!/" Malik smiled. "/What would you want in return?/"

"/Ah, spoken like a man who knows money is worthless these days,/" Rajan laughed softly. "/In all honestly, I ask for nothing. We provide transportation to those in need and, as your friend has need to travel to Japan, it will be my honor to get you as far as possible. We must leave immediately, however. The conditions are perfect for flying right now but tomorrow, who knows./"

"/That's fine, we're ready to...did you say flying?/" Malik asked.

"/What were you expecting? Come on, you'll see./" Rajan took a moment to take the make from the wall, rolling it back up as he led the way to the back of the warehouse. "/I will be honest with you, however. This trip will be dangerous. Safer than trying to take a boat though, but because of the darkness Zorc brought on the world, I have to rely on the plane's sensors and my own instincts. There is a light on the plane, but I'll only use it for landings so we don't draw unwanted attention./" He paused while he opened the door for them. "/We used to have three planes. This is our last and she's served us well. I am eighty percent certain I can get you to Hubei in one piece without complications./"

"What kind of plane is that?" Bakura asked, eying Rajan as he again spoke deliberately in Japanese.

"/Er...our friend has never seen a plane like this before,/" Malik hastily translated. "/To be honest, I haven't either. It doesn't have any wheels.../"

Rajan smiled, avoiding Bakura's gaze as he gestured to the small aircraft. It had been painted black, though in some places the paint had worn off to reveal hints of white. Instead of wheels, the body of the plane rested on a large pair of skis.

"/That is because this is a seaplane. It is designed to take off and land on water. We store it in here for protection both from the erratic tides and from thieves. Not to worry, however, as just outside that large door is plenty of water. That is the other reason we should leave immediately. You picked a good day to come to Cairo./"

"Hmn, not bad," Bakura smirked, walking toward the plane.

"If you're going to pretend you don't speak Arabic, shouldn't you at least wait until I pretend to translate for you?" Malik sighed. "/How do we get the plane into the water then?/"

"/Oh that part's easy. Just climb in and get situated, I'll be right back./" Rajan bowed slightly, moving to a control panel beside the large door.

"Well...this is easy enough," Malik commented.

"Indeed," Rishid agreed. "Though I find it strange..."

"What's strange?" the blond asked as Bakura climbed into the plane.

Rishid lowered his voice. "We've just met Rajan and you are ready to put your life in his hands and yet you cannot trust Bakura with the Millennium Ring."

Malik frowned. "You're trusting him too. And you can't compare-" he was interrupted by the grating sound of metal on metal as the door began to open mechanically.

"/Sounds like our generator is about to die too,/" Rajan said, coming back toward them. He slipped on a black jacket that he had retrieved from beside the console. "/Good thing this will be the last time it needs to work./"

Malik smiled, eager to avoid Rishid's questioning. "/Guess so. Come on, Rishid! Bakura's probably already taken the best seat,/" he teased, trying to be light hearted in front of their pilot. The older Ishtar simply shook his head and climbed aboard.

Rajan waited for the others to get situated before climbing into the pilot seat. "/Everyone all buckled in?/" he asked, turning on the plane's engine and beginning to flip various switches. The aircraft trembled slight and began moving forward. "/Don't be alarmed, it's just a conveyor belt. Once we hit the water, I'll be taking off./"

"We're actually going to do it," Malik sighed, looking out the windows a bit apprehensively. "It feels strange leaving Egypt again...especially now."

Bakura tsked, debating whether or not to reveal that Rajan not only knew Japanese but probably several other languages as Bast had indicated. 'But he is playing dumb right now...' he thought. A sly grin crossed his features as the plane rocked unsteadily for a moment after entering the water. 'If that's the way you want to play it, Rajan, then I'll play along. For now.'

"_That's actually a good plan,_" Bast commented, making the thief jump slightly. "_He is a curious person by nature. If you can give him a reason to tag along at least until you find Marik, it will make things much easier._"

"Damn it Bast," Bakura hissed under his breath. He focused his thoughts and added mentally: 'I figured that out on my own, thank you. Now go back to being quiet. I was enjoying the peace.'

"_You'd like that, huh?_" Bast purred. "_Then maybe I should keep talking. What would be an interesting topic..._"

"/Here we go, gentlemen. Hold on tight,/" Rajan called back, flipping on the plane's propeller.

* * *

"/Damn it. I was too late.../"

"/I'm sorry dad.../"

"/It's not your fault Zahira,/" her father sighed, staring off in the direction the plane had left. "/Once that boy puts his mind to something.../" he trailed off and sighed heavily. "/Come. We have to tell your mother./"

Zahira nodded, following after her father.

* * *

The group talked little their first day of flying, Rajan devoting his full attention to his controls while quietly listening to what was said. The occasional mention of items and pieces intrigued him as he wondered what purpose they served. He also found amusement that they seemed convinced he didn't understand what they were saying as they spoke of these things in Japanese. The only thing that concerned him was the one called Bakura who spoke exclusively in Japanese. He had to wonder if the man somehow knew that he was only feigning that he couldn't understand them.

'/But then, I ninety-percent certain he knows Arabic,/' he thought, smiling slightly. '/This is a fun game. I wonder which of us will slip first./' "/I'm going to land for a few hours. There's no safe place to get out so I don't recommend leaving the plane, but I need to get a little sleep./" The landing wasn't one of his smoothest attempts, but no harm was done and he pushed open the door, guiding the plane toward the remains of a pier before cutting the engine. Once he tied a line to one of the more sturdy looking poles jutting from the water, he returned to his seat, leaving the door open to let in some fresh air.

"/I recommend stretching out your legs a bit at least,/" he added through a heavy yawn. "/There are blankets under your seats. No pillows though. And if you need food or water, help yourselves,/" he gestured to a cooler he had pointed out to them earlier. "/There's plenty. We'll be taking off from here in a few hours./"

"/Thank you,/" Malik replied. "/Rest well./"

'/So, the little one seems to be the self-appointed speaker, the big guy is pretty quiet, and the shirtless one most likely knows I speak Japanese,/' Rajan listed mentally as he leaned his seat back and got settled. '/Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Or is it tomorrow already? I miss the sun.../' He let his eyes fall closed and was just starting to drift off when he heard hushed talking.

"Malik, let me see the Ring."

"Nnn, why?"

"Because I'm going to take it and run away," Bakura tsked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just let me see if I pick anything up."

"Fine," Malik hissed. Rajan heard some movement accompanied by soft jingling like a wind chime and had to resist the urge to look back, continuing to feign sleep. There was silence for a moment before a golden glow made his open his eyes slightly, keeping his head turned so they wouldn't notice.

"Nothing in the area by what we have on us," Bakura reported. "I can still pick up the Millennium Necklace by with Isis, though the signal is weaker."

"Aright, now give it back. I still don't trust you," Malik demanded. Rajan heard the same jingling sound as whatever had caused the light was passed back to Malik and the glow faded. "Next time you should cover it or something. You could have woken Rajan."

"Nah, he's fast asleep," Bakura spoke, Rajan getting the impression that the man was smiling at him.

'/Not very subtle, Mr. Bakura. What's your game? And what was that light?/' he wondered, letting his eyes fall closed again. '/I have two more days to see if I can figure it out.../'

* * *

The second day went by smoothly, Malik passing the time by chatting with Rajan while Rishid seemed meditative. Bakura glared sourly out the window, happy that at least Bast wasn't pestering him much. Occasionally he caught himself batting at the bell on his collar, which only worsened his mood. He kept reminding himself that they wouldn't be trapped in the plane much longer, but he despised being confined. He tried to sleep to pass the time, but the seats were hard enough to get comfortable in when the plane was dock and doubly so in motion.

After what felt like an eternity, Rajan announced they would be stopping for the night, the term used loosely, the thief noticed, as it was nearly impossible to tell day from night. He felt mildly relieved when their pilot also mentioned they would be getting off the plane and setting camp.

Once Rajan had secured the plane to the small dock, he stood on the ski and offered a hand to the others to help the cross.

"/Stay to the left side of the dock and watch your step,/" he said to Malik and Rishid as they started toward land. He turned back in time to stop Bakura from attempting to cross over on his own, blocking his path abruptly with one arm.

"I don't need help," the thief snapped, trying to push past the other's arm.

Rajan hesitated a moment before speaking loudly and slowly, making clumsy signs with his hands as he spoke. "Sir. Please allow me to help you across. The plane is shaky and I do not want you to fall into the water. It would make me very sad if you did./"

"Bakura just let him help you for Ra's sake!" Malik shouted back irritably.

Bakura shook his head, snickering and taking a hold of Rajan's hand. "Well, you're better at this than Malik is," he commented.

"/Please watch your step,/" Rajan smiled innocently.

Once Bakura had made it up to the dock, he turned and offered a hand to the other man. They kept their comments to themselves as they caught up with Malik and Rishid, managing to wipe the smirks from their faces.

"/Alright, we'll need fire wood and something to eat. Malik, you and Rishid see if you can't find some edible plants. Ask Bakura if you can find us some firewood. I'm going to attempt the impossible and see if there are any fish to be had. In a worse case scenario, we still have plenty of food on the plane. A hot meal would be nice though./"

"/Sure thing, Rajan,/" Malik smiled, turning to Bakura. "You heard him."

"Heh, fine. Then maybe, if you blow on it, all that hot air will start a fire for us," the thief replied, slipping away.

"What!?" Malik snapped, but Rishid grabbed his arm before he could chase after him.

"/Come on, Malik./" the older Ishtar insisted firmly, retrieving a flashlight from his bag and half-dragging the irate blond behind him.

"Stupid Bakura," Malik muttered, looking around for any plant that might be edible. "Who the hell does he think he is saying I'm full of hot hair. What's that even supposed to mean!?"

"Malik," Rishid sighed, plucking a small mushroom from the ground and examining it in the light.

"What, are you going to defend him?" Malik growled. "I wouldn't be surprised if he ran off. Then again, Bast would probably make his collar light up again so he wouldn't get far. If we didn't need him-" he stopped when Rishid turned on him, glaring at him sternly.

"If Bakura was not here, we would neither have the means of locating the remaining items nor the ability to stop Zorc since, as he pointed out on his arrival, we would need all three "yamis" as well as their "hikari" counterparts to stand a chance. And as it is, he has, in the past few days, not only behaved himself, he saved your life. Rather than continuing to doubt his intentions and constantly bicker with him, you should give him the Millennium Ring and trust him to do as he says."

Malik shivered a bit both from anger at being lectured and from the stern look he was pinned under. "But he caused _this_!" the blond insisted, gesturing around them. "If he hadn't freed Zorc-"

"And we are innocent?" Rishid interrupted. When Malik faltered, he turned away to gather more of the mushrooms he had found. "We have done terrible things in our past, Malik. When we asked for forgiveness and a second chance, it was given to us. At least think it over."

Malik stood still for a few moments, trembling slightly and bringing his hands up to grasp the Ring through his shirt. Finally he turned away, stalking back toward the camp.

Bakura had returned and was carefully arranging rocks around a small pile of wood, pointedly ignoring the blond who stooped beside his backpack, rummaging through it. He paused as he was setting the last rock in place when Malik dropped a folded shirt beside him and turned away.

"Don't make me regret that," Malik half growled.

Bakura raised a brow, pinching the collar of the shirt and lifting it curiously. hidden inside the garment, the Millennium Ring shifted and slipped to the ground, the thief staring at it for a moment before smirking.

'So he's going to trust me now, is he?' he thought, hanging the item around his neck. 'Guess it's a start.' He moved to ball the shirt up but opted to fold it properly and return it to Malik's bag. 'No sense in hiding it. Should make for interesting conversation...'

Less than an hour later, they were all gathered around their small fire, Rajan trying to pretend he didn't notice the intriguing piece of jewelry that Bakura had acquired and amused by the small argument Malik had incited about how the thief should have put on a shirt to conceal it. Rishid seemed content to ignore their squabbling so Rajan left them alone.

"By the way, I did pick up something," Bakura suddenly said. "It's a weak signal so I don't know how far off it is. Somewhere north. If we're lucky, it'll be near this Huei place."

"Hubei," Malik correct him before realizing that the thief didn't really care. "If it is, we'll look for it before we head to Shanghai."

"Again, I do not think we should discuss these things in front of out host," Rishid sighed, but Malik waved him off.

"It's fine. He can't understand us after all. And we do need to figure some things out. Best to do it now before we continue."

Rajan frowned a bit. '/What is it they're after? And how are they looking for these items? Does it have something to do with that necklace?/' he wondered, his eyes drifting to the Millennium Ring. '/Something about it looks...familiar somehow.../' He caught Bakura's gaze and waved his hands defensively.

"/Ah, please tell your friend that I did not meant to stare at his necklace,/" Rajan said, looking to Malik. "/It is an interesting piece, but I have no desire to steal it or anything./"

Malik frowned in annoyance. "I told you you should have kept it hidden. /It's fine. It is a unique piece it...uh...belonged to his mother. I had been keeping it safe for him but he wanted to wear it. You know.../"

"/Ah yes, I can understand that,/" Rajan smiled. '/A quick lie. Is it one of the Millennium Items they.../' He closed his eyes for a moment, his head reeling a bit.

"/Are you alright?/" Rishid asked, moving to the other's side.

"/Ah...yeah...it must be the heat. Can you take over?/" Rajan asked, getting to his feet and moving away from the fire. He brought a hand to his forehead, the other resting on his chest a moment. '/That necklace...I swear I've seen it before...but I know I haven't.../(2)' He shook his head to clear his thoughts and drew in a deep breath. '/I need to put it out of my mind. I just need food and sleep. I'll be alright.../'

He returned to the others, sitting beside Bakura to limit his view of the Ring.

"_His memories are already starting to awaken,_" Bast mused.

'What?' Bakura eyed Rajan out of the corner of his eye.

"_He's seen the Millennium Ring before in his past,_" she explained coolly. "_He should follow you willingly at this point._"

'Good, but I won't ask him yet,' Bakura thought with a sly smirk. 'I haven't had this much _fun_ in years.'

* * *

Sleeping on the hard ground was only slightly more comfortable that the cramped cabin of the plane. They awake to Rajan's polite insistence and bored for what was to be their last time.

"/Poor old plane out on her last mission,/" Rajan cooed as he got them airborne. "/I'm going to miss flying./"

"/Are you going to be alright getting home, Rajan?/" Malik asked. "/Three days of flying solo-/"

"/Ah...yeah, but I'll be fine getting home,/" Rajan insisted, opting to leave out that he wouldn't be flying home. He glanced at the fuel gauge, trying to estimate if he would be able to make it to Hubei as promised.

"/Well, if you're sure.../" The weight of just how far from home he was began to settle on Malik and he wondered how long it would be before he saw Isis again. "Getting back's going to be a pain..."

Rishid smiled down at his brother and patted his shoulder. "We will manage somehow. It isn't the first time we've left Egypt."

"Yeah, but it was different then...Never thought I'd miss _that_ place either..."

Bakura yawned, folding his arms over his chest and pleased to feel the familiar form of the Millennium Ring there. "I think I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me up with we get to Hiei or whatever it's called."

"God, that collar suits you," Malik teased. "You just woke up like thirty minutes ago. How can you already want to sleep?"

"Because if I'm sleeping, I don't have to hear your "family moments" and incessant _whining_," Bakura smirked.

Rishid sighed. 'At least now it doesn't sound as hostile,' he thought, closing his eyes.

Bakura had just settled into a reasonably comfortable position when Bast's voice interrupted him. His eyes snapped open and he grasped the Millennium Ring, watching at the pin trembled in warning.

"Fuck...We've got company."

Rajan looked back and was about to question the thief when a roar echoed outside the plane. His blood turned to ice and he grabbed the controls tightly.

"/Hold tight, this plane's not equipped for "evasive maneuvers" but I'm going to try like hell./" He put the plane into a dive, increasing it's speed and watching the dials on his console.

"/What are you doing!?/" Malik asked, digging through his bag to find the Millennium Rod.

"/Getting us closer to the ground,/" Rajan shot back.

"/So they'll leave us alone?/"

Rajan closed his eyes a moment. "/No. Once they find a target, they will chase it until it's destroyed. Even if I manage to land, which will be a rough landing to begin with, they would still attack us./" His eyes snapped open again and he pulled back, lifting the plane out of it's dive. "/We're going down one way or another, all I can do is try to make sure we survive it....I'm sorry.../"

"Damn it," Bakura growled. "If I had Diabound or at least some cards, I might be able to...Bast! Do something, damn it!"

Malik pulled out the Millennium Rod and clutched it in both hands, trying to determine where their attacker was. "Maybe I could mind control it or-"

"Doubt it," Bakura snapped. "It's one of Zorc's-" he was cut off by an explosion to the left of the plane.

"/It took out a wing,/" Rajan called back, fighting in vain to keep some control of the plane. His hands trembled and he felt his chest tightening. "/We...we're...gah.../" he moved a hand to his chest, feeling suddenly light headed.

"Damn it Bast! Do something!" Bakura yelled, grabbing a hold of the bell on his collar.

The last sound any of them heard for a powerful roar before darkness claimed them.

* * *

AN: *Insert Zorc laugh and Game Over screen here*

I kid, I kid. But you'll have to wait until next time to see what happens :3

(1) Random last name! It is Arabic though. I think...

(2) In Marik's Backstory (see Hooray For One Shots number...22 I believe), the captain of the guards that the three brothers train with wore the Millennium Ring. :p

Now if you don't mind, I'll write my ANs at the start of this story and then go love on my kitty who has taken refuge in my laundry basket. So...cute...


	5. 5: The Blind Harper

AN: Here we go. Chapter 5 already? And this chapter introduces another harper (if you didn't guess from the chapter) as well as getting the gang closer to Yugi, who will be ever so happy to see...most of them.

I don't have much to say here except that I hope you enjoy reading this chapter and I promise more exciting things will happen in the next one :3

* * *

Silence and a throbbing headache are what Malik awoke to, the blond staring at the dark sky overhead for a moment in a daze. He pushed himself into a sitting position, groaning and bringing a hand to his head.

"I'm alive...I have to be to feel this bad," he muttered. He brought up his other hand, blinking at the Millennium Rod before looking around. He saw no evidence of the seaplane, their belongings, nor the shadow creature who had attacked them, but he did spot the others sprawled on the ground nearby.

"Hey!" he called, slowly getting to his feet. "You guys alright?"

Bakura grunted, pushing himself up. "Why do I always end up with my face in the dirt," he grumbled, spitting as he got to his knees.

"I'm alright," Rishid responded, getting to his feet as well.

"Any landing you can walk away from..." Rajan groaned, rolling onto his back and covering his eyes with his forearm. "Think I'll just lay here for a while though."

Malik gaped at their former pilot, exchanging a worried glance with Rishid before exclaiming "You speak Japanese!?"

Rajan moved his forearm to his forehead, blinking a few times. "Huh, that's interesting. Apparently I'll speak the first language I hear when I wake up. Good to know."

"Why...why didn't you tell us!?" Malik demanded, feeling embarrassed for not realizing it sooner and angry that Rajan hadn't admitted it sooner.

"I'd say it was because you didn't ask, but I didn't give you reason to consider it," Rajan smirked, propping himself up on his elbows. "You people say some interesting things when you think no one can understand you. Except you," he added, looking at Bakura. "You said things deliberately. How did you know I spoke Japanese?"

"A good question," Malik agreed, glaring at the thief as he got to his feet.

"One I can answer," Bakura remarked, approaching Rajan. "Let's just say a little, _annoying_ cat mentioned your talent for languages to me and recommended I acquire your services."

"I'm listening," Rajan replied, laying back on the ground. "Don't mind me, I'll just lay here."

"Are you alright?" Rishid asked, sitting beside Rajan.

"Yeah...Don't think anything's broken. I'm just too exhausted to move right now. Feels like I ran a couple of marathons and then got run over by a bus."

Malik and Bakura sat beside Rajan as well, helping him sit up at least. The thief then set about explaining the Millennium Items and their connection to Zorc, leaving out details about Bast, the yamis and hikaris, and his role in the current state of the world.

"I see...so these items are scattered around the world then. I suppose that would make me useful to your quest," Rajan mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I'm still curious who told you that I was fluent in multiple languages." He paused. "Once you have all the items, what then? It can't be that simple to get rid of Zorc."

"There is more involved," Bakura admitted. "But it won't make much sense until we find Marik."

Rajan rolled his shoulders a bit. "Well, following you guys around beats my other option of walking home. Besides, if I can be of any help in taking out Zorc, then it's worth a shot."

"I just realized something," Malik began, looking around. "What happened to the plane? I thought we were dead for sure..."

"That's a good question," Rajan agreed. "A better one would be how we survived."

"I might have an idea," Bakura muttered. 'Cutting it close there, Bast.'

"_I didn't save you,_" Bast replied. "_Not that I wouldn't have had you needed my help._"

'Explain.'

"For someone who's plane is missing and presumably destroyed, you seem pretty calm," Malik pointed out.

"_Rajan was the one who acted. More specifically, what sleeps inside of him._"

"I was going to be out of fuel when we got to Hubei anyway," Rajan admitted sheepishly. "I heard you guys talking back at the inn in Cairo and wanted to help. And now I guess I can help you more," he smiled.

"_You were in _his_ domain, after all,_" Bast added, sounding amused.

"We should get moving," Bakura huffed, getting to his feet once more. "We need to figure out where we are and how to get to Japan from here."

"Why _is_ Japan our destination?" Rajan questioned. "If I may ask."

"A friend of ours had a connection to the Millennium Puzzle three years ago," Malik explained. "He'd at least want to know what we're doing."

"Here." Rishid dropped into a crouch with his back to Rajan. "I can carry you until you are feeling strong enough to walk."

Rajan sighed. "The high point of my life," he joked.

They walked a short time before finding a pair of travelers, Rajan hailing them and asking them where they were. He was shocked to inform his companions that they had somehow ended up just outside of Shanghai.

"Well...that's good, isn't it?" Malik asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "Strange, but good."

"And a pain in the ass," Bakura tsked, holding up the Millennium Ring. "Hnn, I'm not picking anything up. Whatever it was is out of range at this point. Meanwhile, Japan is just a boat ride away." He dropped the Ring, letting it fall nosily against his chest."We'll figure something out after we find Yugi."

"Shanghai's over that way," Rajan directed. "They said it should be about a twenty minute walk...If I'm getting to heavy, you can put me down Rishid," he added. The taller Ishtar considered this a moment before he started walking. "Or I can just be quiet and enjoy the ride. Whatever's good..."

The group managed to arrive in Shanghai without incident, relying again on Rajan to not only locate the pier, but secure them passage aboard a supply ship traveling to Japan. As luck would have it, they managed to board immediately and Rajan was soon left in a hammock to get some sleep while the others spoke in private.

"So we were rescued by Osiris no Tenku Ryuu?" Malik sighed. "Wish I'd have been awake for that. Then maybe we would still have our bags.

"We'll manage, Malik," Rishid insisted.

"As far as Rajan is concerned, let's keep the story as simple as possible until we find Marik," Bakura tsked.

"Still hard to believe the other me wasn't just someone I made up," the blond admitted. "Let alone that Rajan is related to him."

"Look at it this way: you weren't schizo, just possessed by a psycho," the thief shrugged.

"That-" Malik snapped, drawing in a breath. "That's...actually..."

"Look, we'll be in Japan in a few hours. We should try to get some sleep."

"A sensible suggestion," Rishid agreed.

* * *

_"Look at it this way: you weren't schizo, you were just possessed by a psycho."_

Malik frowned, looking over the dark waters, his arms folded on the railing. He wasn't quite certain how Bakura's remark should affect him, but it had made sleep impossible.

'So what does it mean, then?' he wondered. 'Was I the one who wanted to kill the Pharaoh or was Marik? Was it me who murdered my father that day, or was it him? And why was he possessing me? Where did he come from?'

Malik sighed, resting his forehead on his arms and closing his eyes. 'If his Ka spirit was Raa, it makes sense now, thinking back, why it was the first card I looked for. Why he knew the card so well that he was unstoppable with it in his possession even when I knew the ancient text too.'

He pushed himself up, drawing the Millennium Rod from his back belt loop and turning to lean against the rail. 'I suppose I won't get any answers until we find him. I just...I need to know how many of the choices I made were my own...' He directed his gaze toward the port they were approaching, wondering why it seemed so familiar.

"Ah! We're heading for Domino!" he exclaimed, clamping a hand over his mouth and looking around to find no one in earshot seemed to have understood his outburst. He smiled, hitting himself in the forehead with the heel of his hand. "I'm such an idiot sometimes. Still, this is good luck. Guess I'll go wake the others, we should be there soon."

* * *

Compared to the destruction in Cairo, Domino City seemed to have suffered little damage. Even the Kaiba Corp building still towered over the city, though it could be seen that most of it's windows had shattered. Debris littered the streets and there wasn't a building that hadn't suffered some damage, but none seemed to have been condemned either.

"I'm amazed," Rajan admitted as they left the wharf and entered the city. "I was expecting more devastation. Even Shanghai had needed to rebuild their docks three years ago."

"Same here," Malik agreed. "But that does make it hopeful that Yugi and his friends are alright."

"Wait, weren't they in Egypt too?" Bakura asked. "How the hell did they get back to Japan?"

"Kaiba was there too, remember? He took them home," Malik explained. "Yugi seemed so torn about it. He wanted to stay. They all did...well, except for Kaiba. Still, they realized there wasn't anything they could do right then and went home to check on their families. They had said they would return, though. That they wanted to find a way to get back at Zorc for what happened to the Pharaoh."

"You keep mentioning a Pharaoh," Rajan pointed out.

"It is a story that started 3000 years ago," Rishid replied.

"Well, you'll have to tell me sooner or later," Rajan smiled. "Where is this Yugi you keep mentioning?"

"Judging by how well the city has stood up, he's probably at the Game Shop," Malik suggested. "Though first we should look for an inn."

"Good point. Maybe we can find a harper and get some information on the city," Rajan nodded.

"And some food so Malik's stomach will stop growling," Bakura smirked.

"...Shut up..." Malik blushed slightly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Rajan laughed. "Well, I'm hungry too so it's a good idea."

After walking for a short time they finally asked where the nearest inn might be and were directed to Domino High School. Bakura took the lead, being the only one to know where the school was located and led them into the cafeteria which was, unsurprisingly, where food was being served.

As they approached, Malik tilted his head. "Hey, I can hear singing."

"More good timing on our part," Rishid hummed.

'Maybe this thing is good luck after all,' Bakura thought to himself, examining the small scarab on his bracelet.

"SHIRUKU no you na hada tsuyayaka RIPPU kajitsu no you na amai nioi  
memoto ni PAARU koakuma WEEBU kirei ni shiagatta kimi  
dakishimete mo ii kai?"(1)

"He sings with a slight accent," Rajan noted. "Whoever he is, he's not native."

"But he is good," Malik pointed out.

"Thank you! I'm gonna take a short break now!" the harper called out.

"Ah, we missed him too," Malik sighed as Bakura pushed open the cafeteria door. "Ah well, we'll probably be here when he starts again.

"I hope so since we were going to ask him about the city," Rajan smirked. "Or did you forget?"

"I remember better when I'm not hungry," the blond muttered defensively, finding a place to sit. "It's actually pretty crowded in here."

"I'll get us some food," Rishid offered, leaving the others to protect their table.

"How far is the Game Shop from here?" Rajan asked.

"Not far. Ten minutes at most. Ryou walked there after school a few times," Bakura shrugged, propping one elbow on the table and resting his chin in in the palm of his hand.

"Was Ryou your brother?" Rajan pried.

"Hnn," the thief tried to think of the best way to word his relationship with his former host so as not to sound to malevolent. "I was more an...unwanted house guest you could say."

"Ah, so that's another story I'll have to needle out of you," the blond smirked.

Malik frowned, remembering how he hadn't exactly helped Ryou during the Battle City Tournament and, thus, didn't have ground to argue with the thief's explanation. "I hope he's alright."

Rishid returned with the promised food, taking his seat and passing plates to the others. Bakura noticed what they were eating was a mix of rice, pathetic looking vegetables, and questionable bits that were trying to pass themselves off as chicken.

"Weren't you two vegetarians?" the thief asked, taking a bite.

"We also don't like starving," Malik half-growled.

""Good" food is scarce enough without being particular," Rishid explained more rationally.

"You really must have been lost if you didn't know that," Rajan mused.

"Excuse me friends, you sound like a lively group. You have room for one more at your table?"

Bakura turned to face whoever had asked, intending to send him off with a nasty glare. "What does it loo-" he began, faltering when he saw the other's face. White bandages were wrapped around the upper potion of his face from the middle of his nose to mid-forehead, black bangs tipped in blue framing his face. His skin was deeply tanned and he wore a cyan colored t-shirt and blue jeans. Overall he looked to still be a teenager and smiled patiently, waiting for someone to reply.

"Uh...yeah, over here by me," Malik said, pulling out the chair beside him.

"Ah, thanks," the teen replied, moving around the table carefully. He balanced a tray in one hand while the other held a thin metal staff which he used to make certain nothing was in his way. Once he set the try down and got seated, he sighed. "Almost feel like I'm in high school again, you know? Oh wait..."

Malik coughed a bit. "Right...high school..."

"You were the harper we heard I take it," Rishid spoke, offering the teen a smile despite the fact it would go unseen.

"Aw, you guys must have just come in," the harper tsked. "You missed it then, I'm told I was on fire up there. Then again, I'm also told this is food. I wonder sometimes..." he trailed off, poking at the plate in front of him with a fork. "So, hear anything of interest lately?"

"Nothing local," Malik admitted. "We've actually just arrived in Domino."

"Travelers! There aren't enough of them these days," the harper smiled. "Well, international news is also good. I'll be heading to the states in a few hours. They compile all the news gathered by harpers there." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I think it's because the Americans would be devastated if something so important wasn't based in their country."

"There isn't too much to tell that could pass for news," Malik sighed. "Egypt is steadily becoming uninhabitable and it's slowly spreading to other parts of Africa."

"And crossing the Mediterranean," Rajan added. "Last harper that came to Cairo told me that Rome was the only safe haven in Italy and the Venice had long since be submerged."

"Hmm...Venice I'd heard of, but not that Italy was decaying so quickly..." the teen hummed, taking a bite of food. "Africa was sort of expected...You're all from Cairo then?"

"More or less," Malik shrugged.

"Kinda sad to hear it's gotten so bad. It was a nice place when I was a kid."

"I thought I recognized you," Rajan smiled, leaning forward. "What school did you go to?"

"Nn, I can't remember the name of it," the harper shook his head. "I only went to primary for a year before my parents moved us out to the states." He paused a moment. "What are your names, and no introducing each other or I'll never tell you apart."

"I'm Malik."

"Rishid."

"Rajan."

The teen nodded quietly, waiting for a moment before pointing toward Bakura with his fork. "I think I broke your friend when I came over. What's your name?"

"Tell us your's first," the thief tsked, having opted to ignore the harper and eat his food until now.

"Bakura," Malik snapped.

"It's alright, It's a fair question. I go by many names. Miles Wright, Phoenix, RockMan. Most people just call me Gamer, though."

"Most harpers just go by their tag," Malik pointed out. "Why so many nick names?"

"Gamer is my tag. The other names are just for fun." Gamer turned his attention back to Bakura. "See, back when we started traveling, we weren't called "harpers". We called ourselves "bards". At least we did here in Japan. Kaiba Corp finally got a ship running to the states and I managed to get aboard. Learned two things when we finally got there. The Americans called themselves "harpers" after some book series I never got a chance to read: "The Dragonriders of Pern". They had also been working to establish a base where harpers could gather and share news, stories, and what not. I also learned that Zorc didn't like harpers. I learned that the hard way," he added, gesturing to his face. "I was lucky though."

"Lucky?" Bakura tsked, ignoring the glare Malik threw him.

"Yeah, the thing was aiming for my neck," Gamer smirked. "I'll leave out the details since this food isn't all that bad and I'm sure you'd rather keep it down. "What's most surprising is that there are actually people who will turn harpers in to Zorc in a heartbeat. We adopt tags and nicknames and leave our families behind to travel and spread hope and music. It's not much and it's a hard life, but it's worth it if it pisses Zorc off."

"Oh yes, the ideal life," Bakura rolled his eyes. "Tick off the god of darkness and get yourself killed. Where do I sign up?"

"_You already did,_" Bast teased. The thief batted at his collar in irritation.

'Quiet you.'

"A bell?" Gamer grinned. "And I'm the one asking to die. At least I _hide_ my instruments."

"You be quiet too," the thief snarled.

"Ignore him," Malik insisted. "It makes life easier."

"Actually, it's refreshing," the harper insisted. "Both because he has a lot of fight in him and because he has the balls to talk to me like that. You wouldn't believe how many people tip-toe around me like I might break. That's not why I kept traveling after my injury. I want to show people that I survived and continue living this life. I feel like I'm rubbing it in Zorc's face, even though he probably wouldn't notice me." He grinned, pointing at Bakura. "You're alright in my book."

"I'm _so_ honored_,_" the thief replied sarcastically.

Gamer laughed, leaning forward. "Since you guys probably haven't been here since Zorc appeared, I'll tell you a couple of things. First, if you're looking for a place to live, then Domino City is it. The Kaiba Mansion offers shelter to the homeless and has better food then you'll find at any inn. Also there's a little place called the Game Shop run by Sugoroku Mutou, his grandson Yugi, and their friends. They don't sell games there anymore, but they work as scavengers, gathering up supplies and items from the ruins. It's worth stopping by if you plan to continue traveling because it's the best place to get supplies.

"And the other thing is something I saw with my own eyes." He leaned a bit closer, the others, minus Bakura, instinctively following suit. "You've noticed the condition Domino City is in. This city has a guardian spirit. Some say it's a fiery phoenix who's cry pierces the heavens. When I saw it though, it was a golden dragon that lit up the whole city, bright as the sun. Whatever it really is or if it's two separate beings, it protects this city. They also say," he added, leaning back," that it lives near the Kaiba Corp stadium, but I can't confirm or deny that one. No one who's gone looking for it has found anything."

"A dragon and a phoenix?" Malik looked to Rishid and Bakura, who seemed to have drawn the same conclusion: Raa.

* * *

AN: This chapter hurts me. I hope you didn't hate it too bad.

Good news! Yugi shows up in the next chapter! And he's baked Bakura some cookies and cupcakes and wants to give him a great big hug!

Wait....no...that's not what the script says...

(1) If you are half the nerd I am, you might recognize this bit of lyrics. Sadly, I couldn't find a translation for it and all the translators I tried to use gave me words that didn't make sense. But it's the last for lines from Jealkb's Make Magic, featured in the preview for Yugioh's Tenth Anniversary movie: Super Fusion! The Bonds That Transcend Time.

Can't wait to see it :3

Anyway, I'm going to go write some more. Hopefully it will turn out more interesting than this.

Oh and you should review because...um...because my review count was down last chapter :p If you don't review I'll...just have to...I'm no good at this. Just review if you want to and if you don't want to then...don't?


	6. 6: Guardian of Domino

AN: Guh it's done. And I totally blame Cliscia story Stalker for my inability to get this done sooner (seriously ate my brain and made it hard to focus on my stories). But its done. This chapter pushes the story along a good bit and introduces this crazy new concept I had:

As you noticed, there are two chapters labeled "Guardian of Domino" only one has the word "Yaoi" tacked onto it. In the interest of not running off my non-yaoi readers (raise your hands kids!) I thought I'd try something different and write two versions of certain chapters. This one is pretty mind and only a few things change, but by the end, who knows?

Interesting note: I have a poll on my profile to see how people fee about Rajan and Petri (since I worry and fret that people might be offended since I'm writing them into yet another story). Out of 19 votes so far:

13: Love 'em

3: They're alright

2: Hate 'em

1: No opinion

Those two "hate'em"s hurt, but it's expected (I did ask and do appreciate the feedback). They are OCs after all. But the majority "loves 'em" so they'll survive for now (I love them myself :p). I do have ideas for stories that won't include them, but in stories where I need the three gods to be Ka spirits instead of cards (or that I just have cute ideas for involving them), they'll be there :3

Enough rambling, I now have to separate out the yaoi version into it's own file and get this thing posted so I can work on the next chapter. After that I'll get more Hikari to Yami no Enishi out.

*sets down a box of Kuriboh plushies* Thanks for reading guys!

* * *

Bakura looked up at the Game Shop, his hands resting on his hips. The building had taken some damage, the walls cracked in places and a few of the windows boarded. The letters on the roof above the door read "AME", the "G" absent and presumed missing.

Malik walked past him toward the door. "Come on, "kitty"."

"You want me to kill you?" the thief grumbled, following after the blond. They had left Rajan and Rishid back at the school to get more information from the harper (and to prolong telling Rajan the entire story until they had found Marik). As the door opened, Bakura was on high alert. Little did Malik know, Yugi and his friends had seen Bakura's past form during the final shadow duel three years ago.

"Ah, welcome!" Sugoroku smiled from behind the counter. The glass of the cabinet he leaned on had been replace with wood and the register no longer resting atop it. The old man squinted, leaning closer as they approached. "What can I do for you today?"

"We're here to talk to Yugi," Malik began, not noticing the eyes that watched them from a side door. "Is he in?"

"Oh? My grandson? He's out with Anzu right now on a date," he smiled, tilting his head slightly. "They won't be back until late."

"Date?" the blond asked, raising a brow.

"You!" another voice shouted. Two men burst from the side room, lunging for Bakura. The thief leapt back, bringing his hands up and reminding himself that killing them would only complicate things.

"You've got guts showing up here, you bastard," Honda growled, punching one fist into an open palm. His hair was longer that it had been three years ago and was pulled back into a short pony tail, bangs falling to cover the left side of his face. Jounouchi glared at Bakura from beside his friend, his hair still styled the same though a bit messier.

"D'you think we'd forget you after three years?" Jounouchi growled, lunging toward the thief. "Like we could ever forget what you did!" Honda charged behind his friend, Malik calling out to try and stop them.

Bakura easily dodged the first few swings before grabbing Jounouchi's forearm, using the blond's momentum against him and sending him crashing to the ground. He caught Honda's fist in his hand next, glaring at the brunette.

"And here I'm actually trying to-" he began when a cry from the entrace caught his attention. He turned in time to feel a fist connect with his jaw, stumbling back against empty shelves on the wall, using them to brace himself and face the new attacker. He almost didn't recognize the man, his violet eyes darker in color and narrowed in rage. He had also gotten a few inches taller, though he was still the second shortest in the room(1). His hair hung loose around his shoulders, blond bangs framing his face.

His attire hadn't changed much either, though he no longer wore the Domino High School uniform. He donned a black tank top and black jeans, torn at the knees though it didn't seem intentionally so. His black boots were scuffed and showed wear and black, silver studded cuffs on his wrists, but the belt-style chocker he had always worn was absent.

As he bared his teeth at the thief, seeming at a loss for words, Bakura rubbed his jaw, noting that it had actually been a strong hit as he tasted blood.

"I suppose you had a right to do that," Bakura tsked. "Fair enough, but don't expect to get lucky again."

"You...it was your fault..." Yugi muttered, tears forming in his eyes but the anger in his gaze never faltering. "Because of you..."

"Wait Yugi," Malik called, moving to the other's side as he saw he was about to lunge at the thief again.

"Why are you trying to protect him Malik?" Jounouchi snapped, glaring at the Egyptian.

"I thought you were on our side!" Honda accused threateningly, taking a step toward the blond.

"I am!" Malik shot back, grabbing Yugi by the arm and jerking a thumb at Bakura. "And he is too now...apparently..."

"Your confidence in me is astounding, Malik," the thief muttered sarcastically.

"Bullshit!" Yugi snapped, Malik's grip in his arm the only thing preventing him from trying to attack Bakura again. "Why should we believe you! It's your fault Zorc won! It's your fault that the Pharaoh is dead!" His voice faltered slightly as he said the word. He opened his mouth again to continue yelling when Bakura took a step closer, meeting Yugi's glare with one of his own and feeling some satisfaction when the shorter man flinched slightly.

"First off, I'm not back here because I want to be. I was _sent_ back by Bast and _told_ to "fix what I did"." Again he emphasized the words by making quotation marks in the air.

"Bast?" Anzu questioned, Bakura suddenly aware of the girl's presence. Her hair was a bit longer and she wore a pair of jeans and a dirty pink shirt bearing worn image of Hello Kitty. He felt a slight twitch at the thought of "kitty" but let it go. "The Egyptian goddess?"

"No, Bast the Greek goddess," Bakura spat sarcastically, turning his attention back to Yugi and seeing that he wasn't impressed by the thief's sarcasm. "Yes, that Bast. She sent me back and I'm not allowed to move on until I do what she said. I honestly have no desire to be back here. Secondly, the Pharaoh isn't dead. His soul is still sealed within the Millennium Puzzle. Which brings me to number three." He reached into his pocket and held out his hand so Yugi could see what he held. Resting in his palm was the piece of the Millennium Puzzle that he and Malik had found in Egypt.

Yugi's eyes widened. "That's..."

"Just take it," the thief tsked, thrusting he hand closer. Yugi reverently took possession of the small piece of gold, careful to to touch the thief's palm and cradling it in his hands. The anger from before was momentarily forgotten as he inspected it.

"Wait a minute...that was in my bag!" Malik snapped, shooting the thief a dirty look.

"And if I hadn't stolen it from you out of sheer boredom it would be lost somewhere in China right now," Bakura smirked.

"That's tr-wait, no! Don't try to justify it! You stole something from me!" the Egyptian growled.

"...Talk." Yugi's voice was quiet but held an angry, dark tone. "Tell me everything. Details. I want them."

* * *

After Bakura had told them everything, exasperated by Yugi's questions when he felt the thief was being vague, the former King of Games had left silently for his room, Jounouchi following in his wake. They sat on the edge of his bed for a time, not talking and letting the shorter man have his time to let everything they had been told sink in. They vaguely heard the bell on the shop door jingle and heard voices downstairs, but it was nothing more than muted background noise.

Finally, Yugi looked at his hand; at the small golden block that he had been holding so tight it's sharp outline was cut into his palm.

Alive.

The Pharaoh. Mou hitori no boku.

Alive.

He closed his hand around the piece before bringing both up to his face, drawing his feet onto the bed in nearly the same movement. Everything seemed so surreal to him. He had hoped, of course, that the Pharaoh's soul hadn't been destroyed. That all he needed to do was find the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle and that he would come back and somehow that things could be as they were before.

They had searched. Asked people if they had seen the pieces. Their efforts had earned them three pieces. Yugi horded them like a dragon, keeping them safe in the golden box they had once been stored in and letting no one into his room save two people: Jounouchi and Gamer.

Gamer was someone Yugi trusted and who trusted Yugi. He had been in the Game Shop when the group had returned from Egypt, a scared teen from America who had no where to go. Back then he looked different, but he smiled just as often, perhaps more. He was practically adopted by Sugoroku as well as Yugi's friends and had helped to pull him back from the brink when the depression had gotten too great.

Jounouchi was Yugi's dearest friend. the blond had been there from him from the very start. He had a bond with the Pharaoh and himself that transcended everything else. After the shadow game in Egypt, Jounouchi had been Yugi's security blanket. Had held him as he screamed and cried and pleaded to die. Who had reassured Yugi that he did have a reason to live and that it hadn't been his fault. It had taken so much time for him to recover from the loss of the Pharaoh enough to begin taking the steps needed to go on, and Jounouchi had been his life line.

He felt a hand petting his back and wondered when he had started to sob uncontrollably, but it didn't matter. Jounouchi let him cry, his head resting against the blond's shoulder as he cried in a mix of anger and relief.

The Pharaoh wasn't gone forever, but the news had come from the one responsible. He had been told that Bakura needed him and the thought made him feel not just angry but sick.

"I won't..."

"Yugi?" Jounouchi blinked.

"I don't want to be...near him..." Violet eyes looked up at honey brown, tears still falling. Jounouchi was silent for a time, meeting the other's gaze softly. "You-you remember...the nightmares...I can't..."

"I can't tell you want to do, Yugi," Jounouchi began softly. "But remember, he also said he needs the Pharaoh. If you go with him-"

"_I know_," Yugi cut him off sharply, hiding his face in the other's shoulder. "I know I know but..." he trailed off, swallowing hard. "I...I can't leave grandpa...not now...he's getting so...senile..." It was an excuse and he knew it.

"I'll watch him for you Yugi. Me and Honda and Anzu. We'll take care of him and keep him safe," the blond promised softly. "I think you should go, Yugi. It might be the only way you'll get to see the Pharaoh again."

Yugi sniffled, knowing his friend had a point. Bakura was the only one who knew how to use the Millennium Ring and the pieces were scattered, making it even more difficult. Jounouchi pushed him back a bit, offering a smile before getting up and moving to Yugi's desk. He returned a moment later, sitting on the opposite side of the bed from his friend, shuffling a deck of playing cards.

"Nothin' wrong with delayin' things a little, right?"

Yugi smiled and nodded. It wasn't Duel Monsters, but it was a welcome distraction. He needed to be calm. He needed to be strong. If he had to endure Bakura's company, he wouldn't show any weakness.

* * *

_"He'll come,"_ Bast's voice rang in Bakura's mind. The thief slumped back on the couch looking bored, violet eyes half closed and trying to look like a target. In actuality he was carefully observing the others, fully anticipating that Honda might snap and try to attack him.

Not that the brunette gave any indication at the moment, his attention focused on Sugoroku as the old man rambled on nonsensically about something vaguely centered around Duel Monsters and pie.

_"I was able to influence his decision while you were speaking,"_ the goddess' voice continued a little wistfully. _"Otherwise he may have taken much longer to agree. We cannot afford to waste time."_

'Then just convince everyone to come to Japan so we can get this over with,' the thief thought back bitterly.

_"My reach isn't so great," _Bast sighed a little and Bakura almost swore he saw her perch on the arm of the couch beside him out of the corner of his eye. _"The shadows make it so hard for any outside influence. As it stands now, my reach is limited to your presence."_

'The collar...' the thief guessed, humming a small note of annoyance. 'Figures.'

_"...I will leave you alone for now,"_ Bast said quietly. _"I am not just using you, Bakura," _she added and he thought he saw her stand, once again only at the edge of his vision. After a moment of silence, Bakura closed his eyes.

"I thought the name "Yugi" was familiar," Rajan commented. "So he really is the legendary duelist?"

"Yes, he was virtually undefeated," Anzu replied. "It was...his last duel that..." he trailed off, seeming to reconsider telling the tale. Bakura could feel her eyes on him for a moment. "He blames himself for entirely too much of what has happened since..."

"What do you mean?" Rajan asked, raising a brow. "It was just a trading card game."

As if on cue, Yugi and Jounouchi returned, the shorter man's hair no longer hanging limp but styled in the familiar star-shape that he had worn it in years ago. His old school backpack was slung over one shoulder and he nodded to Malik.

"Your other self(2) is at the Kaiba Corp's stadium, right?"

Malik nodded, getting to his feet.

"It's a bit of a hike but while we're gone, Jounouchi and the others can get supplies ready for for the trip ahead." Violet eyes glanced to Honda and Anzu, who nodded in silent agreement. "We should get moving."

"Funny," Bakura began as he got up. "You don't seem at all concerned about seeing Marik again."

Yugi stiffened slightly, shooting a glare at the thief. "I haven't forgotten what he did. I just don't hate him as much as I hate you. At least he's been protecting Domino City for the last 3 years." He turned away, moving for the door.

"Wait my boy!" Sugoroku called, hurrying after his grandson. He entered the shop and dug behind the counter for a moment before returning with an old Duel Disk, presenting it to Yugi with a smile. "You can't forget this, Yugi! You'll need it!"

With an exasperated sigh, Yugi took the device and slid it onto his arm and forced a smile for his grandfather, his voice almost sounding strained as he tried to hard to sound cheerful. "Thanks grandpa. We're going out for a while."

"Ok my boy. Have fun and remember: don't talk to strangers," Sugoroku warned, smiling obliviously and waving to them as they left.

* * *

The group walked in relative silence, Yugi leading the way and taking what he knew to be the fastest route. It involved ducking through a few alleys and jumping a few fences but no one complained much (though Malik made a comment at one point about how amusing it would be if Bakura's collar got caught on a fence which earned him a nasty remark from the thief and a "heh" coupled with a small smirk from Yugi). As the stadium drew closer, Malik finally broke the silence to ask:

"So...you and Anzu are dating?"

The shorter man stumbled a bit at the abrupt question and was silent for a moment. "Grandpa things that...He...he's not all there...as you saw..." He fingered the Duel Disk, fairly certain the device wouldn't even activate anymore. He had wanted to refuse it but felt compelled to accept not only to spare his grandfather's feelings but because it was familiar. It was something else that connected him to the Pharaoh. "But no, Anzu and I aren't together. If anything, she still loves the Pharaoh."

"Ah, I was just wondering..." Malik trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck a bit.

"If I might ask, this "Marik" we're going to see now. I take it there is some bad history with him?" Rajan asked, eying the stadium as if the person in question might suddenly appear.

"Hmn," Yugi nodded. "Do you remember the Battle City Finals?"

"I heard talk, but I didn't really follow it," Rajan admitted. "I heard that there was technical difficulties at times and that several people were injured."

"Marik was responsible for most of those injuries," Yugi explained. "But he was...how to put this..."

"He disappeared after the final match," Malik supplied. "According to Gamer though, it seems he reappeared here three years ago."

"People have been here looking for the "dragon or phoenix" that's been sighted," Yugi said, his voice dropping a bit. "We looked too but we never saw anything. We did feel like we were being watched...and that we needed to leave. Now that I know Marik's here...that he's "real" so to speak-" he glanced at Malik quickly before continuing-"I'm surprised he didn't attack us outright."

"And he has been protecting Domino City which just seems...out of character..." Malik sighed. He looked up as they walked through the large entryway of the stadium.

"Che, so long as we find him and get him to come along, I don't really care," Bakura tsked.

"So Marik is connected to the being that's protecting Domino? How?" Rajan pressed curiously. "You say he was a duelist during Battle City."

"It'll make more sense after we find him," Bakura muttered, hoping that would be true. He was getting tired of constantly having to explain things to everyone.

The field of the stadium was dark, the turf charged in some places and dead of barren in others. The seats loomed ominously around them and the air felt unusually warm and smelled of something burning, though they couldn't be certain of the source.

Yugi shivered and rubbed his arms nervously as they approached the center of the field. 'There's that feeling again...like someone's watching us...like we're unwanted...'

Bakura looked around slowly. "We probably should stay together. No telling where that psycho is of what he might do..."

"Perhaps we should begin by searching-" Rishid began, his hand raising to point toward the bleachers when he froze. The stadium was suddenly lit as though the sun thought it might make an appearance after years of hiding, the group forces to shield their eyes. A familiar voice laughed at them, echoing around them and making it hard to find the source.

Bakura narrowed his eyes, peering up at a large, golden orb that floated in the sky above the announcer's box(3), a familiar figure silhouetted before it. "Up there!"

"Pharaoh!" Marik's voice boomed as he held his arms out to either side, hands open. They could almost make out the wide grin that spread over his features. "I let you leave last time, I did! And here you are again." He laughed, the orb behind him unfolding.

"That voice..." Rajan breathed, squinting and trying to make out Marik's features better.

"_**This**_ is _my_ place, Pharaoh!" the wild-haired blond continued. "I don't care if you live in _my_ city, but I won't have you in _my_ home. But if you want to be here so badly-" he laughed again, cutting off his own words as Raa fully revealed himself behind him. "Then I'll make sure you and your _friends_ _**never**_ **leave**."

"Marik!" Malik tried calling out be he was drowned out by Raa as he roared at them in challenge.

"_**GOD PHOENIX!**_" Marik cried, Raa's body spiting apart and becoming engulfed in flames. It's cry changed from a roar to a keening cry as the phoenix swooped down on them.

"**Scatter**!" Bakura barked, running for shelter. The others didn't need to be told twice, rushing toward separate exits. Yugi cried out as he dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding a flaming claw before scrambling to his feet again.

"It's no use Pha-raoh," Marik laughed. "Run, **run** as fast as you can, you can't escape me you foolish little man!" He laughed at his rhyme, grinning down at them as he tried to decide on a target.

Malik found his way to Bakura's side, both pressing tightly against the wall of a hallway. "Any bright ideas?"

Bakura growled, flicking the bell at his neck. "Try not to die," he growled, annoyed when Bast didn't say anything. "What's the point in having this stupid thing if she isn't going to f***ing help when we need it?" Light filled their hiding place and both looked toward the field.

"I see you in there!" Marik called out gleefully. Bakura reacted first, grabbing Malik's arm and dragging him down the hall as flames chased after them, shoving him into a locker room at the last instant.

"How the f*** are we supposed to reason with **that**?" Malik demanded, stumbling back to sit on a bench.

"Damn it," Bakura growled, punching a fist into the other hand. "We'll need something to get his attention. If I had Diabound..." His eyes gleamed as he looked at the door thoughtfully. "But we have something better..."

"Osiris?" Malik guessed, looking up at the thief. "But Rajan doesn't know about Osiris."

"He doesn't yet, but maybe he could remember. We just need to get Marik closer to him somehow. Maybe that would trigger something..." He grinned, motioning for Malik to follow him. "Come on, I have an idea but we'll want to get up higher."

Malik obeyed, following closely behind the thief. They could hear Marik yelling taunts and thinly veiled threats to the others, still addressing Yugi as "Pharaoh". Bakura took a few wrong turns in his search but finally found the way to the announcer's box, motioning for the blond to be silent as he padded toward on of the broken windows. Malik tried to match Bakura's movements, his heart racing as they climbed out of the box and made their way onto the roof.

Bakura grabbed Malik's shoulder and whispered what he expected to blond to do. Malik drew the Millennium Rod from it's hiding place, casting a wary glance to the thief before straightening and holding the item before him.

"Marik!" he called sharply.

Marik froze for a moment, his laugh dying abruptly in his throat as he turned to look at Malik, a bored expression on his face for a split second before he saw who stood behind him and what they held.

"Hi-ka-ri," he chuckled, reaching a hand toward Malik. On closer inspection they could see that Marik wore the same outfit he had during the Battle City finals though the shirt and pants were worn and had holes and tears in them, his cloak tattered around the bottom edge. His hair hadn't changed in appearance except for being badly in need of a wash. The gold jewelry he wore was tarnished beyond what seemed repairable and the golden eye mark glowed brightly behind his bangs.

"Marik, call back Raa so we can talk," Malik tried to reason with him.

Marik chuckled, taking a step toward Malik. "Hikari. My hika-ri," he mused, lavender eyes glinting as he took another step. "How I've wanted to see you all these years. I have to repay you." His eyes widened a bit with malicious intent. "And you brought me _my_ Rod. How...thoughtful."

Malik took a side-step, following the edge of the roof, keeping his gaze focused on Marik. The Millennium Rod glowed faintly and the yami threw his head back, laughing aloud.

"It won't work on me, _**hikari**_! Give it to me!"

"I know it won't," Malik smirked, masking the fear he felt. "I wouldn't try to use it on you."

Bakura lunged suddenly from his hiding place, tackling Marik and both shocked that he was unable to knock him back more than a stumble and irritated at the sound the bell on his neck made. Strong hands grabbed the thief's arms, thumbs pressing painfully into pressure points at his elbows and drawing a startled, choked cry from him as he was pushed back, dropping to a crouch to catch himself and rubbing his arms.

"Eh? Who's this now?" Marik chuckled, distracted by Bakura. He caught a glint of gold as the light from Raa reflected on the Rod, turning in time to see Malik throw the item toward the field as hard as he could. "Mine!" He snarled possessively, charging toward the side and taking a wild leap after the item like a football player trying to claim possession of a dropped ball.

"He's insane!" Malik sputtered, watching after him.

"He has a Ka that can _fly_," Bakura pointed out, coming to watch. As he predicted, Raa flew under his master to carry him after the item, the flames not seeming to bother the yami.

Down below the Rod fell swiftly toward it's intended target, tumbling dangerously end over end. Rishid opted to let the item fall to the ground rather than attempt to catch it in his bare hand, quickly claiming it and running down the field as his life did depend on it.

"Yugi!" He called, throwing the item as hard as he could toward the shorter man, who waited nervously to receive it. Marik roared, Raa halting in mid-field and hovering above the ground.

"Drop the item, Pharaoh, and I may let you leave _alive_," the blond growled threateningly.

Rajan peered out from his hiding place, having been left out of the loop once more. As he finally got a good look at their attacker, his eyes widened.

'I know him...I know him! He's...'

* * *

**flashback**

"Come on, Rajan, it'll be fun!"

Rajan sighed, looking up at his older brother. They were both young and in a house that seemed both familiar and alien in Rajan's memories.

"Last time you said that I got in trouble."

"But it was fun, wasn't it?" the older boy grinned, amber eyes glinting mischievously.

* * *

Another memory. Rajan was older but still a child. He sat with his back against a wall panting heavily and gingerly rubbing his cheek when he knew a bruise would be forming.

"I went a little crazy there huh," the older boy asked solemnly. "But he shouldn't have hit you...are you ok?"

"Yeah..." Rajan sighed, sitting up and picking up the pieces of a scroll he had been carrying. "I...I should..."

"Don't let them scare you." Rajan looked up as the other spoke. "You want to be a scribe so be a scribe. You're better than them anyway."

"If I keep going, they'll just attack me again...and I don't want you to have to keep coming to save me..." He looked away, his attention returning to his brother as he knelt before him and gripped his shoulders.

"I can teach you to be strong and how to fight."

Rajan hesitated and shook his head. "But I-"

"You can be strong _and_ smart, Rajan! You can! Let me teach you! Please!"

Slowly Rajan nodded, looking at the fragments of papyrus in his hands. "I...alright..."

* * *

"We need to talk about this!" Rajan was shouting. Again they were older, now in their mid teens. He grasped his brother's arm tightly to keep him from escaping. "You almost killed him!"

"I know," the other teen admitted, sounding terrified as he looked at his hands.

"You're lucky he was a thief and a killer himself or-"

"I know!" he shouted again, turning to face Rajan. "I...I couldn't stop I was just so..." He gripped Rajan's shoulders tightly, tears forming in his eyes. "So mad and it...it felt good to just keep...hitting and...oh gods, Rajan, I'm scared! I don't want to be a murderer!" He screwed his eyes shut and bowed his head, fighting to keep from crying.

"This happens a lot," Rajan said softly, putting his arms around the other's shoulders. "You have to find a way to control your anger."

"I don't know how," the older teen whined, pressing his face into Rajan's shoulder. "I don't know how and I don't know what to do..."

Rajan sighed, petting his brother's unruly hair thoughtfully. It felt strange to him to have to comfort his older sibling and was near sickening to seeing him in tears when he was always so confident and strong.

"Whenever you start to get angry...before you even start fighting...think of this moment," Rajan said softly. "Think of Petri and Zahira and Aasera. Father and mother. Think of me." He tightened his arms reassuringly. "Keep us close to your heart and always in thoughts and let us be what helps to clear your mind and quell your anger."

The older teen drew in a shaky breath, nodding softly and clinging to Rajan for a moment longer before pushing away and rubbing angrily at the tears he'd cried.

"And don't worry, I won't tell anyone you cried like a woman," Rajan teased, trying to help bring back the more familiar, playful expression his brother always wore.

* * *

"I think you're being over ambitious again my brother," Rajan chuckled, lifting a cup to his lips. "They likely just want to test our Ka spirits."

"All the same, it's inevitable! With the powers you and Petri wield, you each could easily succeed one of the priests!" Laughing still, the older sibling lifted his cup high into the air. "I know which one I'd choose. It would defiantly be that Millennium Rod."

"The item chooses the master, idiot," Rajan teased, tossing a grape at his elder brother, who moved quickly to catch the small orb in his mouth.

"Well, it should choose me because I want it," the elder teen chuckled, licking his lips. "But as you say, I am ambitious."

"We would see the next youngest," a guard announced from the doorway. Rajan got to his feet and held a hand out to his brother, who clutched it enthusiastically.

"Don't take too long, Rajan. You know I don't handle suspense very well."

"Just try not to set fire to anything," his brother laughed, turning away.

"One time!" he heard shouted in reply. He swallowed hard, trying to ignore the butterflies that danced in his gut as he followed the the guard. He was led to a lower chamber lit by only a single torch in the center of the room.

"Step forward, Rajan," a man beckoned and he could faintly make out two figures standing just out of the light's reach. Rajan obeyed, coming to stand by the torch and bowing respectfully. "You have a powerful Ka, young man. One that I have seen a vision of."

"You have High Priest?" Rajan asked, trying to discreetly make out the man's features.

"Yes." The Millennium Necklace glinted on the man's forehead. "Three young men who harbored three great beasts who would serve a chosen Pharaoh in Egypt's darkest hour. Only that Pharaoh would know the names of these Ka spirits and be able to harness their power."

The Millennium Rod began to glow in the other priest's hand, illuminating his features ominously. "Regretfully, we have learned that sealing creatures of such power is...fatal for the carrier." He paused, Rajan's eyes widening as the words sank in. "However, it must be done."

Fear coursed thought the teen like ice water in his veins and he staggered back a step before trying to run. He cried out as a golden glow surrounded him and dropped to his knees, hugging himself.

"No...no, please don't..." he pleaded, eyes looking around for something, anything that might save him only to spot the still form of his younger brother lying in the shadows. "No, please!" he yelled, looking toward the priests. "I...I'm a scribe(6)! You-you can't!" Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was disgusted at himself for trying to save his own life, but the fear was over whelming.

For one, shining instant it seemed that the priests might reconsider their actions. That he might yet be spared. But then the Millennium Rod glowed more brightly and Rajan felt his Ka being forced to appear for a second time.

"A...terrible...horrible loss...but this is as it must be," one of the priests whispered.

Rajan slumped to the floor, finding it harder to breath as his Ka was sealed. As his vision darkened, a last thought came to him and he closed his eyes. 'He'll be here next...and when he sees what happened...Ra have mercy...on those in his way...(4)'

**end flashback**

* * *

Rajan clutched his head, closing his eyes tightly and leaning back against the wall he hid again. "I...remember now...Oh...gods...I remember everything..." Crimson eyes opened again in time to see Raa taking to the sky.

"Pharaoh, you leave me no choice! I will take what's mine from your _ashes_!"

'Pharaoh...does he think Yugi is the...He does look a bit like King Akunumkanon's son with his hair like that...I see...' He pushed away from the wall and strode out onto the field, looking up at the phoenix overheard. 'So it was his son who would be the "chosen Pharaoh". Is that why you're trying to kill Yugi? So many questions...' Rajan thought with a note of annoyance. 'I have to get his attention.'

"_**Burn**_ Pharaoh!" Marik laughed, throwing his head back as Raa prepared an a massive attack.

Rajan closed his eyes, a hand resting over his heart for a moment, a crimson glow surrounding him. "Osiris...no Tenku Ryuu!" He grit his teeth, stifling a pained cry as his Ka appeared overhead, it's body encircling Raa so that it's head was level with Marik, roaring at him with enough force that the yami nearly fell off the Phoenix's back.

Lavender eyes went wide, trying to comprehend what was clearly before him. Marik blinked, shaking his head and looking around on the ground.

"Rameses(5)!"

Marik jerked back as if he had been slapped, his eyes finally falling on Rajan below and staring at him unflinching.

"Rameses! Get down here!" Rajan shouted up again, trembling from the effort it was taking him to keep Osiris summoned.

After a pregnant pause, Raa's form reverted to that of a golden dragon, it's wings flapping to as to lower itself to the ground slowly.

"Ra...jan?" Marik questioned, his voice sounding a little hoarse as if unused to normal speaking.

Osiris let out a final cry before disappearing, Rajan staggering a little but not breaking the eye contact he had finally gotten from his brother. Dazed, Marik dropped to the ground, his Ka remaining on the field to act as a light source.

"You...you were dead..."

Rajan sighed, taking a few steps closer. "It seems that I was reincarnated," he half-shrugged. "I remember though. After I saw you, it all came b-ACK!"

"You were dead!" Marik wailed, wrapping his arms tightly around the other, pinning his arms painfully to his sides. "You were dead you were dead and..and so was...! Petri! Petri! Is he with you!"

Yugi choked a bit, edging a bit closer.

"No he's not," Rajan admitted, staining to talk. Rameses, let go...I can't breathe..."

"Don't...don't call me that," Marik shuddered, but let his brother go, placing his hands on the other's shoulders. "Don't...I...that's not me...no, not anymore...Just Marik...Call me Marik...I don't deserve to be Rameses..."

"Huh, so the psycho has a name," Bakura mused as he came closer. Marik glared at him, hissing in warning but Rajan grabbed his arm.

"Calm down, he's a friend. They all are, including the one you mistook for the Pharaoh."

Marik shot Rajan a questioning glance before staring at Yugi silently. "He's not...no, it's the Pharaoh's hikari. Where is he?"

"If you'd shut up for a few minutes, I can tell you," Bakura said, keeping an authoritative tone in his voice.

Marik was surprisingly quiet and attentive as Bakura filled him in on the matter at hand, nodding occasionally. Rajan noted that he hadn't been told the whole story to begin with but understood that before now it would have sounded insane. Even know it seemed a bit unbelievable.

"So we just need to find the Pharaoh, Bakura's hikari, and Petri," Marik noted, seeming far more rational at the moment.

"It's strange...you'd think one of us would remember the Pharaoh's name," Rajan hummed a bit, gesturing to Bakura, Marik, and himself. "We were alive back then."

"We'll worry about it after we get the Puzzle put back together. Speaking of which, how many pieces are their?" Bakura asked, looking at Yugi.

"Hmn?" The short male blinked. "What?"

"What's wrong, Yugi?" Malik asked, noting how tense the other seemed.

"I...well, it...might be a coincidence but...um..." he trembled a bit, closing his eyes for a brief moment. When they opened again the nervousness that had been there was gone. "I may be a coincidence," he began again, his voice once more firm, "but you mentioned that your brother's name was Petri, right?"

"Yes. Petri," Marik replied, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Tan skin, blond hair, and incredibly deep blue eyes?"

The calm, rational Marik vanished in an instant and lunged at Yugi, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt before Rajan could react and jerking him closer so their faces were mere inches apart, the shorter man's toes barely touching the ground.

"Where. Is. He."

Yugi couldn't help the small whimper that escaped him which only earned him a rough shake. "You know! You know and you-"

"Marik!" Rajan snapped, he and Rishid moving to try and pry the irate yami off off Yugi.

"I...he's headed for America! He...he's been gone for an hour by now!" Marik released him and he stumbled a bit, managing to catch himself and trying to smooth out his shirt. "You...you guys met him back at the high school," he breathed, trying to recompose himself.

Rajan clapped his hands over his mouth, letting go of Marik's arm. "Oh...shit...Gamer! That's why he was so familiar!"

"How could you not recognize our brother!" Marik demanded in a snarl.

"Because he had tie-dyed hair and half his face was band...aged" Rajan snapped back, trailing off as he realized that that wasn't the best information to relay to Marik in his current state of mind.

* * *

AN: Dun dun DUN!

Marik, for the record, is sort of bipolar. I think more research is needed but perhaps one of you might know the proper term. It's not just happy-to-sad, it's any-emotion-in-it's-extreme to any-other-emotion-in it's extreme. And occasionally neutral. This should be fun to write...Comments? :D

This chapter had lots of Rajan in there at the end, but I think it was necessary.

(1) Grandpa's the shortest!

(2) Yugi doesn't know how to refer to Marik at this time so "other self" works since he called the Pharaoh that, more or less.

(3) Is that what it's called? Correct me if I'm wrong D:

(4) Translation: Oh shit, my brother's going to see us dead and go nucking futs.

(5)_"RAMESES  
Gender: Masculine  
Usage: Ancient Egyptian  
Pronounced: RAM-?-seez (English) [key] _

_Means "son of Ra", composed of the name of the supreme Egyptian god RA combined with the Egyptian root mes "son" or mesu "be born". Rameses was the name of eleven Egyptian kings of the New Kingdom. The most important of these were Rameses II who campaigned against the Hittites and also built several great monuments, and Rameses III who defended Egypt from the Libyans and Sea Peoples."_

Aside from it being the name of Pharaoh's, it seemed like a fit since Marik's Ka spirit is Raa no Yoku Shin Ryuu and all. Har-de-har. (Also it didn't help that I came across a picture on Deviant Art that referred to him as Rameses: "Celestial Confinement" by IamTerra. It's jsut such a good name for him I guess XD

(6) FEAR MY COUNTING SKILLS! Ahem, anyway, as I've mentioned before in other stories, scribes were a big deal in Egypt. Rajan was trying to use that to get them to spare his life. Pity it didn't work...

Anyway, my dears, what do you think of this crazy chapter idea? The yaoi and non-yaoi versions? It's extra writing for me but I think it's pretty fun to write a few variations on some scenes and it can appeal to a wider audience. Opinions are helpful :D


	7. 6: Guardian of Domino: Yaoi

AN: Guh it's done. And I totally blame Cliscia story Stalker for my inability to get this done sooner (seriously ate my brain and made it hard to focus on my stories). But its done. This chapter pushes the story along a good bit and introduces this crazy new concept I had:

As you noticed, there are two chapters labeled "Guardian of Domino" only one has the word "Yaoi" tacked onto it. In the interest of not running off my non-yaoi readers (raise your hands kids!) I thought I'd try something different and write two versions of certain chapters. This one is pretty mind and only a few things change, but by the end, who knows?

And for the yaoi fans, this chapter contains a bit of Wishshipping! (don't kill me, just read it first :p)

Interesting note: I have a poll on my profile to see how people fee about Rajan and Petri (since I worry and fret that people might be offended since I'm writing them into yet another story). Out of 19 votes so far:

13: Love 'em

3: They're alright

2: Hate 'em

1: No opinion

Those two "hate'em"s hurt, but it's expected (I did ask and do appreciate the feedback). They are OCs after all. But the majority "loves 'em" so they'll survive for now (I love them myself :p). I do have ideas for stories that won't include them, but in stories where I need the three gods to be Ka spirits instead of cards (or that I just have cute ideas for involving them), they'll be there :3

Enough rambling, I now have to separate out the yaoi version into it's own file and get this thing posted so I can work on the next chapter. After that I'll get more Hikari to Yami no Enishi out.

*sets down a box of Kuriboh plushies* Thanks for reading guys!

* * *

Bakura looked up at the Game Shop, his hands resting on his hips. The building had taken some damage, the walls cracked in places and a few of the windows boarded. The letters on the roof above the door read "AME", the "G" absent and presumed missing.

Malik walked past him toward the door. "Come on, "kitty"."

"You want me to kill you?" the thief grumbled, following after the blond. They had left Rajan and Rishid back at the school to get more information from the harper (and to prolong telling Rajan the entire story until they had found Marik). As the door opened, Bakura was on high alert. Little did Malik know, Yugi and his friends had seen Bakura's past form during the final shadow duel three years ago.

"Ah, welcome!" Sugoroku smiled from behind the counter. The glass of the cabinet he leaned on had been replace with wood and the register no longer resting atop it. The old man squinted, leaning closer as they approached. "What can I do for you today?"

"We're here to talk to Yugi," Malik began, not noticing the eyes that watched them from a side door. "Is he in?"

"Oh? My grandson? He's out with Anzu right now on a date," he smiled, tilting his head slightly. "They won't be back until late."

"Date?" the blond asked, raising a brow.

"You!" another voice shouted. Two men burst from the side room, lunging for Bakura. The thief leapt back, bringing his hands up and reminding himself that killing them would only complicate things.

"You've got guts showing up here, you bastard," Honda growled, punching one fist into an open palm. His hair was longer that it had been three years ago and was pulled back into a short pony tail, bangs falling to cover the left side of his face. Jounouchi glared at Bakura from beside his friend, his hair still styled the same though a bit messier.

"D'you think we'd forget you after three years?" Jounouchi growled, lunging toward the thief. "Like we could ever forget what you did!" Honda charged behind his friend, Malik calling out to try and stop them.

Bakura easily dodged the first few swings before grabbing Jounouchi's forearm, using the blond's momentum against him and sending him crashing to the ground. He caught Honda's fist in his hand next, glaring at the brunette.

"And here I'm actually trying to-" he began when a cry from the entrace caught his attention. He turned in time to feel a fist connect with his jaw, stumbling back against empty shelves on the wall, using them to brace himself and face the new attacker. He almost didn't recognize the man, his violet eyes darker in color and narrowed in rage. He had also gotten a few inches taller, though he was still the second shortest in the room(1). His hair hung loose around his shoulders, blond bangs framing his face.

His attire hadn't changed much either, though he no longer wore the Domino High School uniform. He donned a black tank top and black jeans, torn at the knees though it didn't seem intentionally so. His black boots were scuffed and showed wear and black, silver studded cuffs on his wrists, but the belt-style chocker he had always worn was absent.

As he bared his teeth at the thief, seeming at a loss for words, Bakura rubbed his jaw, noting that it had actually been a strong hit as he tasted blood.

"I suppose you had a right to do that," Bakura tsked. "Fair enough, but don't expect to get lucky again."

"You...it was your fault..." Yugi muttered, tears forming in his eyes but the anger in his gaze never faltering. "Because of you..."

"Wait Yugi," Malik called, moving to the other's side as he saw he was about to lunge at the thief again.

"Why are you trying to protect him Malik?" Jounouchi snapped, glaring at the Egyptian.

"I thought you were on our side!" Honda accused threateningly, taking a step toward the blond.

"I am!" Malik shot back, grabbing Yugi by the arm and jerking a thumb at Bakura. "And he is too now...apparently..."

"Your confidence in me is astounding, Malik," the thief muttered sarcastically.

"Bullshit!" Yugi snapped, Malik's grip in his arm the only thing preventing him from trying to attack Bakura again. "Why should we believe you! It's your fault Zorc won! It's your fault that the Pharaoh is dead!" His voice faltered slightly as he said the word. He opened his mouth again to continue yelling when Bakura took a step closer, meeting Yugi's glare with one of his own and feeling some satisfaction when the shorter man flinched slightly.

"First off, I'm not back here because I want to be. I was _sent_ back by Bast and _told_ to "fix what I did"." Again he emphasized the words by making quotation marks in the air.

"Bast?" Anzu questioned, Bakura suddenly aware of the girl's presence. Her hair was a bit longer and she wore a pair of jeans and a dirty pink shirt bearing worn image of Hello Kitty. He felt a slight twitch at the thought of "kitty" but let it go. "The Egyptian goddess?"

"No, Bast the Greek goddess," Bakura spat sarcastically, turning his attention back to Yugi and seeing that he wasn't impressed by the thief's sarcasm. "Yes, that Bast. She sent me back and I'm not allowed to move on until I do what she said. I honestly have no desire to be back here. Secondly, the Pharaoh isn't dead. His soul is still sealed within the Millennium Puzzle. Which brings me to number three." He reached into his pocket and held out his hand so Yugi could see what he held. Resting in his palm was the piece of the Millennium Puzzle that he and Malik had found in Egypt.

Yugi's eyes widened. "That's..."

"Just take it," the thief tsked, thrusting he hand closer. Yugi reverently took possession of the small piece of gold, careful to to touch the thief's palm and cradling it in his hands. The anger from before was momentarily forgotten as he inspected it.

"Wait a minute...that was in my bag!" Malik snapped, shooting the thief a dirty look.

"And if I hadn't stolen it from you out of sheer boredom it would be lost somewhere in China right now," Bakura smirked.

"That's tr-wait, no! Don't try to justify it! You stole something from me!" the Egyptian growled.

"...Talk." Yugi's voice was quiet but held an angry, dark tone. "Tell me everything. Details. I want them."

* * *

After Bakura had told them everything, exasperated by Yugi's questions when he felt the thief was being vague, the former King of Games had left silently for his room, Jounouchi following in his wake. They sat on the edge of his bed for a time, not talking and letting the shorter man have his time to let everything they had been told sink in. They vaguely heard the bell on the shop door jingle and heard voices downstairs, but it was nothing more than muted background noise.

Finally, Yugi looked at his hand; at the small golden block that he had been holding so tight it's sharp outline was cut into his palm.

Alive.

The Pharaoh. Mou hitori no boku.

Alive.

He closed his hand around the piece before bringing both up to his face, drawing his feet onto the bed in nearly the same movement. Everything seemed so surreal to him. He had hoped, of course, that the Pharaoh's soul hadn't been destroyed. That all he needed to do was find the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle and that he would come back and somehow that things could be as they were before.

They had searched. Asked people if they had seen the pieces. Their efforts had earned them three pieces. Yugi horded them like a dragon, keeping them safe in the golden box they had once been stored in and letting no one into his room save two people: Jounouchi and Gamer.

Gamer was someone Yugi trusted and who trusted Yugi. He had been in the Game Shop when the group had returned from Egypt, a scared teen from America who had no where to go. Back then he had looked different, but smiled just as often, perhaps more. He was practically adopted by Sugoroku as well as Yugi's friends and had helped to pull him back from the brink when the depression had gotten too great.

Jounouchi was Yugi's dearest friend. The blond had been there from him from the very start. He had a bond with the Pharaoh and himself that transcended everything else. After the shadow game in Egypt, Jounouchi had been Yugi's security blanket. Had held him as he screamed and cried and pleaded to die. Who had reassured Yugi that he did have a reason to live and that it hadn't been his fault. It had taken so much time for him to recover from the loss of the Pharaoh enough to begin taking the steps needed to go on, and Jounouchi had been his life line.

He felt a hand petting his hair and wondered when he had started to sob uncontrollably, but it didn't matter. Jounouchi let him cry, his head resting in the blond's lap as he cried in a mix of anger and relief.

The Pharaoh wasn't gone forever, but the news had come from the one responsible. He had been told that Bakura needed him and the thought made him feel angry but also sick.

"I won't..."

"Yugi," Jounouchi sighed softly, playing with the short man's blond bangs.

"I don't want to be...near him..." Violet eyes looked up at honey brown, tears still falling. Jounouchi was silent for a time, meeting the other's gaze softly as he continued to pet his hair. "You-you remember...the nightmares...I can't..."

"I can't tell you want to do, Yugi," Jounouchi began softly. "But remember, he also said he needs the Pharaoh. If you go with him-"

"_I know_," Yugi cut him off sharply, curling onto his side and hiding his face. "I know I know but..." he trailed off, swallowing hard. "I...I can't leave grandpa...not now...he's getting so...senile..." It was an excuse and he knew it.

"I'll watch him for you Yugi. Me and Honda and Anzu. We'll take care of him and keep him safe," the blond promised softly. "I think you should go, Yugi. I hate him too, but it might be the only way you'll get to see the Pharaoh again."

Yugi's heart clenched and he sat up, looking into Jounouchi's eyes. "You say that like I-" he was cut of as the blond cupped his cheek and leaned closer, pressing their lips together.

"I know you do, Yugi," he whispered, drawing the other against him. "I know. And I love you too. But you loved him first and...you need him. No matter what happens, I'll still be here for you, Yugi. Even if it's only as a friend."

Yugi sighed, closing his eyes and sinking into the embrace. He knew he would end up going. He didn't want to, but he knew he had too. He had to find the Pharaoh and Bakura was the only one who could help him. "Katsuya..." He leaned back and kissed the blond again deeply. Whatever was going to happen, he didn't want to forget the other's warmth and love. Especially if he would be forced to travel with the source of his nightmares. When they parted to breath, Jounouchi pressed their foreheads together, giving him a cocky smirk.

"Let's keep them waiting for a little longer."

Yugi smiled, nodding and closing his eyes. He welcomed the distraction as well as Jounouchi's presence. He needed to be calm. He needed to be strong. If he had to endure Bakura's company, he wouldn't show any weakness.

* * *

_"He'll come,"_ Bast's voice rang in Bakura's mind. The thief slumped back on the couch looking bored, violet eyes half closed and trying to look like a target. In actuality he was carefully observing the others, fully anticipating that Honda might snap and try to attack him.

Not that the brunette gave any indication at the moment, his attention focused on Sugoroku as the old man rambled on nonsensically about something vaguely centered around Duel Monsters and pie.

_"I was able to influence his decision while you were speaking,"_ the goddess' voice continued a little wistfully. _"Otherwise he may have taken much longer to agree. We cannot afford to waste time."_

'Then just convince everyone to come to Japan so we can get this over with,' the thief thought back bitterly.

_"My reach isn't so great," _Bast sighed a little and Bakura almost swore he saw her perch on the arm of the couch beside him out of the corner of his eye. _"The shadows make it so hard for any outside influence. As it stands now, my reach is limited to your presence."_

'The collar...' the thief guessed, humming a small note of annoyance. 'Figures.'

_"...I will leave you alone for now,"_ Bast said quietly. _"I am not just using you, Bakura," _she added and he thought he saw her stand, once again only at the edge of his vision. After a moment of silence, Bakura closed his eyes.

"I thought the name "Yugi" was familiar," Rajan commented. "So he really is the legendary duelist?"

"Yes, he was virtually undefeated," Anzu replied. "It was...his last duel that..." he trailed off, seeming to reconsider telling the tale. Bakura could feel her eyes on him for a moment. "He blames himself for entirely too much of what has happened since..."

"What do you mean?" Rajan asked, raising a brow. "It was just a trading card game."

As if on cue, Yugi and Jounouchi returned, the shorter man's hair no longer hanging limp but styled in the familiar star-shape that he had worn it in years ago. His old school backpack was slung over one shoulder and he nodded to Malik.

"Your other self(2) is at the Kaiba Corp's stadium, right?"

Malik nodded, getting to his feet.

"It's a bit of a hike but while we're gone, Jounouchi and the others can get supplies ready for for the trip ahead." Violet eyes glanced to Honda and Anzu, who nodded in silent agreement. "We should get moving."

"Funny," Bakura began as he got up. "You don't seem at all concerned about seeing Marik again."

Yugi stiffened slightly, shooting a glare at the thief. "I haven't forgotten what he did. I just don't hate him as much as I hate you. At least he's been protecting Domino City for the last 3 years." He turned away, moving for the door.

"Wait my boy!" Sugoroku called, hurrying after his grandson. He entered the shop and dug behind the counter for a moment before returning with an old Duel Disk, presenting it to Yugi with a smile. "You can't forget this, Yugi! You'll need it!"

With an exasperated sigh, Yugi took the device and slid it onto his arm and forced a smile for his grandfather, his voice almost sounding strained as he tried to hard to sound cheerful. "Thanks grandpa. We're going out for a while."

"Ok my boy. Have fun and remember: don't talk to strangers," Sugoroku warned, smiling obliviously and waving to them as they left.

* * *

The group walked in relative silence, Yugi leading the way and taking what he knew to be the fastest route. It involved ducking through a few alleys and jumping a few fences but no one complained much (though Malik made a comment at one point about how amusing it would be if Bakura's collar got caught on a fence which earned him a nasty remark from the thief and a "heh" coupled with a small smirk from Yugi). As the stadium drew closer, Malik finally broke the silence to ask:

"So...you and Anzu are dating?"

The shorter man stumbled a bit at the abrupt question and was silent for a moment. "Grandpa things that...He...he's not all there...as you saw..." He fingered the Duel Disk, fairly certain the device wouldn't even activate anymore. He had wanted to refuse it but felt compelled to accept not only to spare his grandfather's feelings but because it was familiar. It was something else that connected him to the Pharaoh. "But no, Anzu and I aren't together. If anything, she still loves the Pharaoh." He opted to leave out his relationship with Jounouchi, uncertain how the others would feel.

"Ah, I was just wondering..." Malik trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck a bit.

"If I might ask, this "Marik" we're going to see now. I take it there is some bad history with him?" Rajan asked, eying the stadium as if the person in question might suddenly appear.

"Hmn," Yugi nodded. "Do you remember the Battle City Finals?"

"I heard talk, but I didn't really follow it," Rajan admitted. "I heard that there was technical difficulties at times and that several people were injured."

"Marik was responsible for most of those injuries," Yugi explained. "But he was...how to put this..."

"He disappeared after the final match," Malik supplied. "According to Gamer though, it seems he reappeared here three years ago."

"People have been here looking for the "dragon or phoenix" that's been sighted," Yugi said, his voice dropping a bit. "We looked too but we never saw anything. We did feel like we were being watched...and that we needed to leave. Now that I know Marik's here...that he's "real" so to speak-" he glanced at Malik quickly before continuing-"I'm surprised he didn't attack us outright."

"And he has been protecting Domino City which just seems...out of character..." Malik sighed. He looked up as they walked through the large entryway of the stadium.

"Che, so long as we find him and get him to come along, I don't really care," Bakura tsked.

"So Marik is connected to the being that's protecting Domino? How?" Rajan pressed curiously. "You say he was a duelist during Battle City."

"It'll make more sense after we find him," Bakura muttered, hoping that would be true. He was getting tired of constantly having to explain things to everyone.

The field of the stadium was dark, the turf charged in some places and dead of barren in others. The seats loomed ominously around them and the air felt unusually warm and smelled of something burning, though they couldn't be certain of the source.

Yugi shivered and rubbed his arms nervously as they approached the center of the field. 'There's that feeling again...like someone's watching us...like we're unwanted...'

Bakura looked around slowly. "We probably should stay together. No telling where that psycho is of what he might do..."

"Perhaps we should begin by searching-" Rishid began, his hand raising to point toward the bleachers when he froze. The stadium was suddenly lit as though the sun thought it might make an appearance after years of hiding, the group forces to shield their eyes. A familiar voice laughed at them, echoing around them and making it hard to find the source.

Bakura narrowed his eyes, peering up at a large, golden orb that floated in the sky above the announcer's box(3), a familiar figure silhouetted before it. "Up there!"

"Pharaoh!" Marik's voice boomed as he held his arms out to either side, hands open. They could almost make out the wide grin that spread over his features. "I let you leave last time, I did! And here you are again." He laughed, the orb behind him unfolding.

"That voice..." Rajan breathed, squinting and trying to make out Marik's features better.

"_**This**_ is _my_ place, Pharaoh!" the wild-haired blond continued. "I don't care if you live in _my_ city, but I won't have you in _my_ home. But if you want to be here so badly-" he laughed again, cutting off his own words as Raa fully revealed himself behind him. "Then I'll make sure you and your _friends_ _**never**_ **leave**."

"Marik!" Malik tried calling out be he was drowned out by Raa as he roared at them in challenge.

"_**GOD PHOENIX!**_" Marik cried, Raa's body spiting apart and becoming engulfed in flames. It's cry changed from a roar to a keening cry as the phoenix swooped down on them.

"**Scatter**!" Bakura barked, running for shelter. The others didn't need to be told twice, rushing toward separate exits. Yugi cried out as he dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding a flaming claw before scrambling to his feet again.

"It's no use Pha-raoh," Marik laughed. "Run, **run** as fast as you can, you can't escape me you foolish little man!" He laughed at his rhyme, grinning down at them as he tried to decide on a target.

Malik found his way to Bakura's side, both pressing tightly against the wall of a hallway. "Any bright ideas?"

Bakura growled, flicking the bell at his neck. "Try not to die," he growled, annoyed when Bast didn't say anything. "What's the point in having this stupid thing if she isn't going to f***ing help when we need it?" Light filled their hiding place and both looked toward the field.

"I see you in there!" Marik called out gleefully. Bakura reacted first, grabbing Malik's arm and dragging him down the hall as flames chased after them, shoving him into a locker room at the last instant.

"How the f*** are we supposed to reason with **that**?" Malik demanded, stumbling back to sit on a bench.

"Damn it," Bakura growled, punching a fist into the other hand. "We'll need something to get his attention. If I had Diabound..." His eyes gleamed as he looked at the door thoughtfully. "But we have something better..."

"Osiris?" Malik guessed, looking up at the thief. "But Rajan doesn't know about Osiris."

"He doesn't yet, but maybe he could remember. We just need to get Marik closer to him somehow. Maybe that would trigger something..." He grinned, motioning for Malik to follow him. "Come on, I have an idea but we'll want to get up higher."

Malik obeyed, following closely behind the thief. They could hear Marik yelling taunts and thinly veiled threats to the others, still addressing Yugi as "Pharaoh". Bakura took a few wrong turns in his search but finally found the way to the announcer's box, motioning for the blond to be silent as he padded toward on of the broken windows. Malik tried to match Bakura's movements, his heart racing as they climbed out of the box and made their way onto the roof.

Bakura grabbed Malik's shoulder and whispered what he expected to blond to do. Malik drew the Millennium Rod from it's hiding place, casting a wary glance to the thief before straightening and holding the item before him.

"Marik!" he called sharply.

Marik froze for a moment, his laugh dying abruptly in his throat as he turned to look at Malik, a bored expression on his face for a split second before he saw who stood behind him and what they held.

"Hi-ka-ri," he chuckled, reaching a hand toward Malik. On closer inspection they could see that Marik wore the same outfit he had during the Battle City finals though the shirt and pants were worn and had holes and tears in them, his cloak tattered around the bottom edge. His hair hadn't changed in appearance except for being badly in need of a wash. The gold jewelry he wore was tarnished beyond what seemed repairable and the golden eye mark glowed brightly behind his bangs.

"Marik, call back Raa so we can talk," Malik tried to reason with him.

Marik chuckled, taking a step toward Malik. "Hikari. My hika-ri," he mused, lavender eyes glinting as he took another step. "How I've wanted to see you all these years. I have to repay you." His eyes widened a bit with malicious intent. "And you brought me _my_ Rod. How...thoughtful."

Malik took a side-step, following the edge of the roof, keeping his gaze focused on Marik. The Millennium Rod glowed faintly and the yami threw his head back, laughing aloud.

"It won't work on me, _**hikari**_! Give it to me!"

"I know it won't," Malik smirked, masking the fear he felt. "I wouldn't try to use it on you."

Bakura lunged suddenly from his hiding place, tackling Marik and both shocked that he was unable to knock him back more than a stumble and irritated at the sound the bell on his neck made. Strong hands grabbed the thief's arms, thumbs pressing painfully into pressure points at his elbows and drawing a startled, choked cry from him as he was pushed back, dropping to a crouch to catch himself and rubbing his arms.

"Eh? Who's this now?" Marik chuckled, distracted by Bakura. He caught a glint of gold as the light from Raa reflected on the Rod, turning in time to see Malik throw the item toward the field as hard as he could. "Mine!" He snarled possessively, charging toward the side and taking a wild leap after the item like a football player trying to claim possession of a dropped ball.

"He's insane!" Malik sputtered, watching after him.

"He has a Ka that can _fly_," Bakura pointed out, coming to watch. As he predicted, Raa flew under his master to carry him after the item, the flames not seeming to bother the yami.

Down below the Rod fell swiftly toward it's intended target, tumbling dangerously end over end. Rishid opted to let the item fall to the ground rather than attempt to catch it in his bare hand, quickly claiming it and running down the field as his life did depend on it.

"Yugi!" He called, throwing the item as hard as he could toward the shorter man, who waited nervously to receive it. Marik roared, Raa halting in mid-field and hovering above the ground.

"Drop the item, Pharaoh, and I may let you leave _alive_," the blond growled threateningly.

Rajan peered out from his hiding place, having been left out of the loop once more. As he finally got a good look at their attacker, his eyes widened.

'I know him...I know him...he's...'

* * *

**flashback**

"Come on, Rajan, it'll be fun!"

Rajan sighed, looking up at his older brother. They were both young and in a house that seemed both familiar and alien in Rajan's memories.

"Last time you said that I got in trouble."

"But it was fun, wasn't it?" the older boy grinned, amber eyes glinting mischievously.

* * *

Another memory. Rajan was older but still a child. He sat with his back against a wall panting heavily and gingerly rubbing his cheek when he knew a bruise would be forming.

"I went a little crazy there huh," the older boy asked solemnly. "But he shouldn't have hit you...are you ok?"

"Yeah..." Rajan sighed, sitting up and picking up the pieces of a scroll he had been carrying. "I...I should..."

"Don't let them scare you." Rajan looked up as the other spoke. "You want to be a scribe so be a scribe. You're better than them anyway."

"If I keep going, they'll just attack me again...and I don't want you to have to keep coming to save me..." He looked away, his attention returning to his brother as he knelt before him and gripped his shoulders.

"I can teach you to be strong and how to fight."

Rajan hesitated and shook his head. "But I-"

"You can be strong _and_ smart, Rajan! You can! Let me teach you! Please!"

Slowly Rajan nodded, looking at the fragments of papyrus in his hands. "I...alright..."

* * *

"We need to talk about this!" Rajan was shouting. Again they were older, now in their mid teens. He grasped his brother's arm tightly to keep him from escaping. "You almost killed him!"

"I know," the other teen admitted, sounding terrified as he looked at his hands.

"You're lucky he was a thief and a killer himself or-"

"I know!" he shouted again, turning to face Rajan. "I...I couldn't stop I was just so..." He gripped Rajan's shoulders tightly, tears forming in his eyes. "So mad and it...it felt good to just keep...hitting and...oh Ra Rajan, I'm scared! I don't want to be a murderer!" He screwed his eyes shut and bowed his head, fighting to keep from crying.

"This happens a lot," Rajan said softly, putting his arms around the other's shoulders. "You have to find a way to control your anger."

"I don't know how," the older teen whined, pressing his face into Rajan's shoulder. "I don't know how and I don't know what to do..."

Rajan sighed, petting his brother's unruly hair thoughtfully. It felt strange to him to have to comfort his older sibling and was near sickening to seeing him in tears when he was always so confident and strong.

"Whenever you start to get angry...before you even start fighting...think of this moment," Rajan said softly. "Think of Petri and Zahira and Aasera. Father and mother. Think of me." He tightened his arms reassuringly. "Keep us close to your heart and always in mind and let us be what helps to clear your mind and quell your anger."

The older teen drew in a shaky breath, nodding softly and clinging to Rajan for a moment longer before pushing away and rubbing angrily at the tears he'd cried.

"And don't worry, I won't tell anyone you cried like a woman," Rajan teased, trying to help bring back the more familiar, playful expression his brother always wore.

* * *

"I think you're being over ambitious again my brother," Rajan chuckled, lifting a cup to his lips. "They likely just want to test our Ka spirits."

"All the same, it's inevitable! With the powers you and Petri wield, you each could easily succeed one of the priests!" Laughing still, the older sibling lifted his cup high into the air. "I know which one I'd choose. It would defiantly be that Millennium Rod."

"The item chooses the master, idiot," Rajan teased, tossing a grape at his elder brother, who moved quickly to catch the small orb in his mouth.

"Well, it should choose me because I want it," the elder teen chuckled, licking his lips. "But as you say, I am ambitious."

"We would see the next youngest," a guard announced from the doorway. Rajan got to his feet and held a hand out to his brother, who clutched it enthusiastically.

"Don't take too long, Rajan. You know I don't handle suspense very well."

"Just try not to set fire to anything," his brother laughed, turning away.

"One time!" he heard shouted in reply. He swallowed hard, trying to ignore the butterflies that danced in his gut as he followed the the guard. He was led to a lower chamber lit by only a single torch in the center of the room.

"Step forward, Rajan," a man beckoned and he could faintly make out two figures standing just out of the light's reach. Rajan obeyed, coming to stand by the torch and bowing respectfully. "You have a powerful Ka, young man. One that I have seen a vision of."

"You have High Priest?" Rajan asked, trying to discreetly make out the man's features.

"Yes." The Millennium Necklace glinted on the man's forehead. "Three young men who harbored three great beasts who would serve a chosen Pharaoh in Egypt's darkest hour. Only that Pharaoh would know the names of these Ka spirits and be able to harness their power."

The Millennium Rod began to glow in the other priest's hand, illuminating his features ominously. "Regretfully, we have learned that sealing creatures of such power is...fatal for the carrier." He paused, Rajan's eyes widening as the words sank in. "However, it must be done."

Fear coursed thought the teen like ice water in his veins and he staggered back a step before trying to run. He cried out as a golden glow surrounded him and dropped to his knees, hugging himself.

"No...no, please don't..." he pleaded, eyes looking around for something, anything that might save him only to spot the still form of his younger brother lying in the shadows. "No, please!" he yelled, looking toward the priests. "I...I'm a scribe(6)! You-you can't!" Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was disgusted at himself for trying to save his own life, but the fear was over whelming.

For one, shining instant it seemed that the priests might reconsider their actions. That he might yet be spared. But then the Millennium Rod glowed more brightly and Rajan felt his Ka being forced to appear for a second time.

"A...terrible...horrible loss...but this is as it must be," one of the priests whispered.

Rajan slumped to the floor, finding it harder to breath as his Ka was sealed. As his vision darkened, a last thought came to him and he closed his eyes. 'He'll be here next...and when he sees what happened...Ra have mercy...on those in his way...(4)'

**end flashback**

* * *

Rajan clutched his head, closing his eyes tightly and leaning back against the wall he hid again. "I...remember now...Oh...gods...I remember everything..." Crimson eyes opened again in time to see Raa taking to the sky.

"Pharaoh, you leave me no choice! I will take what's mine from your _ashes_!"

'Pharaoh...does he think Yugi is the...He does look a bit like King Akunumkanon's son with his hair like that...I see...' He pushed away from the wall and strode out onto the field, looking up at the phoenix overheard. 'So it was his son who would be the "chosen Pharaoh". Is that why you're trying to kill Yugi? So many questions...' Rajan thought with a note of annoyance. 'I have to get his attention.'

"_**Burn**_ Pharaoh!" Marik laughed, throwing his head back as Raa prepared an a massive attack.

Rajan closed his eyes, a hand resting over his heart for a moment, a crimson glow surrounding him. "Osiris...no Tenku Ryuu!" He grit his teeth, stifling a pained cry as his Ka appeared overhead, it's body encircling Raa so that it's head was level with Marik, roaring at him with enough force that the yami nearly fell off the Phoenix's back.

Lavender eyes went wide, trying to comprehend what was clearly before him. Marik blinked, shaking his head and looking around on the ground.

"Rameses(5)!"

Marik jerked back as if he had been slapped, his eyes finally falling on Rajan below and staring at him unflinching.

"Rameses! Get down here!" Rajan shouted up again, trembling from the effort it was taking him to keep Osiris summoned.

After a pregnant pause, Raa's form reverted to that of a golden dragon, it's wings flapping to as to lower itself to the ground slowly.

"Ra...jan?" Marik questioned, his voice sounding a little hoarse as if unused to normal speaking.

Osiris let out a final cry before disappearing, Rajan staggering a little but not breaking the eye contact he had finally gotten from his brother. Dazed, Marik dropped to the ground, his Ka remaining on the field to act as a light source.

"You...you were dead..."

Rajan sighed, taking a few steps closer. "It seems that I was reincarnated," he half-shrugged. "I remember though. After I saw you, it all came b-ACK!"

"You were dead!" Marik wailed, wrapping his arms tightly around the other, pinning his arms painfully to his sides. "You were dead you were dead and..and so was...! Petri! Petri! Is he with you!"

Yugi choked a bit, edging a bit closer.

"No he's not," Rajan admitted, staining to talk. Rameses, let go...I can't breathe..."

"Don't...don't call me that," Marik shuddered, but let his brother go, placing his hands on the other's shoulders. "Don't...I...that's not me...no, not anymore...Just Marik...Call me Marik...I don't deserve to be Rameses..."

"Huh, so the psycho has a name," Bakura mused as he came closer. Marik glared at him, hissing in warning but Rajan grabbed his arm.

"Calm down, he's a friend. They all are, including the one you mistook for the Pharaoh."

Marik shot Rajan a questioning glance before staring at Yugi silently. "He's not...no, it's the Pharaoh's hikari. Where is he?"

"If you'd shut up for a few minutes, I can tell you," Bakura said, keeping an authoritative tone in his voice.

Marik was surprisingly quiet and attentive as Bakura filled him in on the matter at hand, nodding occasionally. Rajan noted that he hadn't been told the whole story to begin with but understood that before now it would have sounded insane. Even know it seemed a bit unbelievable.

"So we just need to find the Pharaoh, Bakura's hikari, and Petri," Marik noted, seeming far more rational at the moment.

"It's strange...you'd think one of us would remember the Pharaoh's name," Rajan hummed a bit, gesturing to Bakura, Marik, and himself. "We were alive back then."

"We'll worry about it after we get the Puzzle put back together. Speaking of which, how many pieces are their?" Bakura asked, looking at Yugi.

"Hmn?" The short male blinked. "What?"

"What's wrong, Yugi?" Malik asked, noting how tense the other seemed.

"I...well, it...might be a coincidence but...um..." he trembled a bit, closing his eyes for a brief moment. When they opened again the nervousness that had been there was gone. "I may be a coincidence," he began again, his voice once more firm, "but you mentioned that your brother's name was Petri, right?"

"Yes. Petri," Marik replied, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Tan skin, blond hair, and incredibly deep blue eyes?"

The calm, rational Marik vanished in an instant and lunged at Yugi, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt before Rajan could react and jerking him closer so their faces were mere inches apart, the shorter man's toes barely touching the ground.

"Where. Is. He."

Yugi couldn't help the small whimper that escaped him which only earned him a rough shake. "You know! You know and you-"

"Marik!" Rajan snapped, he and Rishid moving to try and pry the irate yami off off Yugi.

"I...he's headed for America! He...he's been gone for an hour by now!" Marik released him and he stumbled a bit, managing to catch himself and trying to smooth out his shirt. "You...you guys met him back at the high school," he breathed, trying to recompose himself.

Rajan clapped his hands over his mouth, letting go of Marik's arm. "Oh...shit...Gamer! That's why he was so familiar!"

"How could you not recognize our brother!" Marik demanded in a snarl.

"Because he had tie-dyed hair and half his face was band...aged" Rajan snapped back, trailing off as he realized that that wasn't the best information to relay to Marik in his current state of mind.

* * *

AN: Dun dun DUN!

Marik, for the record, is sort of bipolar. I think more research is needed but perhaps one of you might know the proper term. It's not just happy-to-sad, it's any-emotion-in-it's-extreme to any-other-emotion-in it's extreme. And occasionally neutral. This should be fun to write...Comments? :D

This chapter had lots of Rajan in there at the end, but I think it was necessary.

(1) Grandpa's the shortest!

(2) Yugi doesn't know how to refer to Marik at this time so "other self" works since he called the Pharaoh that, more or less.

(3) Is that what it's called? Correct me if I'm wrong D:

(4) Translation: Oh shit, my brother's going to see us dead and go nucking futs.

(5)_"RAMESES  
Gender: Masculine  
Usage: Ancient Egyptian  
Pronounced: RAM-?-seez (English) [key] _

_Means "son of Ra", composed of the name of the supreme Egyptian god RA combined with the Egyptian root mes "son" or mesu "be born". Rameses was the name of eleven Egyptian kings of the New Kingdom. The most important of these were Rameses II who campaigned against the Hittites and also built several great monuments, and Rameses III who defended Egypt from the Libyans and Sea Peoples."_

Aside from it being the name of Pharaoh's, it seemed like a fit since Marik's Ka spirit is Raa no Yoku Shin Ryuu and all. Har-de-har. (Also it didn't help that I came across a picture on Deviant Art that referred to him as Rameses: "Celestial Confinement" by IamTerra. It's jsut such a good name for him I guess XD

(6) FEAR MY COUNTING SKILLS! Ahem, anyway, as I've mentioned before in other stories, scribes were a big deal in Egypt. Rajan was trying to use that to get them to spare his life. Pity it didn't work...

Anyway, my dears, what do you think of this crazy chapter idea? The yaoi and non-yaoi versions? It's extra writing for me but I think it's pretty fun to write a few variations on some scenes and it can appeal to a wider audience. Opinions are helpful :D


	8. 7: Kaiba

AN: UGH. Stupid chapter where boring things happen that need to happen. (that could be the low self esteem talking...). This took a while to get out because I realized I couldn't just have them find a way to get to America and to explain some things and set things up and stuff like that.

In the mean time, while writer's block was weighing me down, I drew something awesome and posted it on my deviant art account (mysia-ri in case you forgot ;) ). It's sort of like a poster of cover of something I guess. It came about because I drew a pretty cool picture of Bakura if I do say so myself. Well, cool for me and my drawing ability. Oh and I think the theme song for this story is "Precious Time, Glory Days" from Yu-Gi-Oh GX. Why? Because...*puts out a plate of cookies*

Also also I think it's pretty funny that so far there are 15 more page hits on the non-yaoi version of chapter 6 than there are of the yaoi version. mostly because that either means that I have 15 non-yaoi readers and all the others are reading both chapters or that I have a lot of readers XD Either way, I appreciate all of you even when you don't review :3. *sets out a box of Marik plushies*

* * *

It took a while for Rajan to calm Marik down enough for the yami to return to a more-rational state of mind. Even so it looked as though he could snap without warning so Bakura pressed the matter at hand, hoping for a quick solution.

"We know where he's going so it's not that big of a deal," the thief began. They sat on the sidelines of the ruined field, Raa sitting patiently in the center of the stadium. "We just catch the next boat and hunt him down."

"That would be fine if there was another boat to catch," Yugi put in, leaning back on his hands. "Or rather, there are other boats, but Kaiba Corp only has one in service at a time. The trip can be dangerous and there have been ships that never make it. Let's see..." he trailed off thoughtfully. "Gamer, well, Petri told me before that the trip takes 10 to 14 days so in the best case scenario, we wouldn't be able to go for at least twenty days."

Bakura tsked, folding his arms over his chest in annoyance.

"What about Raa?" Malik asked, looking to Marik.

"No for two reasons. First, Raa can only carry one person and that's me...maybe two...two...absolutely no more than three," Marik rambled a bit, lavender eyes looking around anxiously. "But even so, I don't know where the boat is and it would take a long time to find it, find Petri, and do...whatever had to be done next." He made a small sound of annoyance and looked up. "The other reason is that Raa _can't_ leave Domino. If Raa leaves, the shadows he's keeping away will destroy this place. So Raa can't leave. Not until we fight Zorc." He opened his mouth to continue but Rajan patted him on the shoulder to signal that had gotten the point.

"Fine, so where does that leave us?" Bakura grumbled. "Yugi, would you know where to find Petri if we wait for the boat?"

"No. He tells me stories of where he's been, but it doesn't seem like he has a specific route that he travels."

"Most harpers don't," Malik added. "And since he's been-" he stopped, glancing to Rajan who nodded that it was safe to continue. "Since he's been attacked before, he's even less likely to maintain a routine. It would make him too easy to find."

"Well, there is one place he would go first," Yugi confessed. "A place he's referred to as "Harper Hall". It's supposed to be in San Diego. But we'd pretty much have to leave today if we wanted to catch him there." His eyes lit up and he got to his feet. "There might be a way. Come on."

Marik huffed a bit and got to his feet, walking toward Raa as opposed to following Yugi as the others did. He planted his hands on his hips as he looked up at the golden beast, his expression unreadable.

"Marik?" Rishid called to him, pausing to watch the yami.

"Stay. Staaay." Marik brought a hand up and wagged a finger at Raa as an master would his faithful pet. "I have to go save the world so I'll be gone for a while," he explained, his tone changing to one more of a parent speaking to a child. "So keep watch over this place. I'll call you when we need you."

The dragon growled a bit and Marik smiled, which startled Rishid. 'He looks so...human...'

Raa let out a cry, flapping it's wings which caused Marik's cape to fly wildly behind him. It took to the sky, flying to the announcer's box and perching atop it. Lavender eyes stared up at the Ka for a moment longer before turning to rest on Rishid. Wordlessly he walked toward and then passed the former tombkeeper, breaking into a jog to catch up with the others.

* * *

Bakura remained silent as they walked, occasionally flicking his gaze to Marik as if expecting the other to fly off the handle.

'It doesn't make any sense. Why is he coming with us so willingly? Why was he protecting Domino City?' He scrowled a bit, looking around. 'Taking him along is going to be a pain too. He's calm right now, but he seems pretty unstable. I'll have to be on guard so he doesn't "accidentally" kill Yugi and Malik(1)...'

_"He won't harm them."_

Bast's voice rang in his mind so suddenly that the thief nearly tripped. 'Don't do that! And where the hell were you!? I believe you said that if I found Marik you would handle him!'

The goddess appeared beside him, watching him as she glided along. _"It was my intention, though you seem to have managed without me. I'm sorry."_

Bakura tsked, crossing his arms over his chest. 'He only tried to kill us. What's your deal anyway? You always seem to disappear when we need you.'

Bast sighed softly, looking up at the sky. _"I underestimated Zorc's presence. The connection I made with you isn't as strong as it should be. Sometimes it wavers and I can't connect with you. There is a way to fix this but I don't think it's possible right now." She waved her hand. "In the mean time, I can answer your other questions. Have you learned Marik's real name?"_

'Rajan knew it,' Bakura nodded slightly, trying not to call attention to himself. 'Rameses.'

_"That was it, yes...hmm, Rameses. You were wondering why he protected the city and, in all honesty, he won't tell you himself. I don't think he's even aware of the reason as his mind and emotions are unstable."_

'But of course _you_ know.'

Bast nodded. _"When Rameses was young, he was determined to protect those close to him. As time passed, he wanted to be protect more people. It's a part of who he is at the core of his being. When the shadows shrouded the world and he was let free, he emerged in Domino. He saw the chaos and subconsciously chose to protect the city."_ She paused thoughtfully. _"Speak to Rajan later and he can explain. Most importantly, you must help Rameses realize that he is still the man he was so long ago and explain to him that the Pharaoh is not his enemy."_

'Explain to a psycho who's stronger than I am that the man _I_ have hated with every _fiber_ of my being since I was a boy is not his enemy?' Bakura scoffed.

_"The sooner he realizes that it wasn't the Pharaoh's fault the sooner he can truly begin to heal. You'll find things far easier with a level-headed Rameses than you will with an unbalanced Marik," _she replied coolly._ "Of course, Petri's presence will help him as well."_

'Speaking of Petri, why didn't you tell him he was Gamer?'

_"Is he?"_ she asked, frowning. _"I missed that revelation it seems. I was unaware of the changes he has been through...You had another question as well," she said, quickly changing the subject. ""Why is he coming along so willingly", yes? It is primarily because of Rajan and Petri. The prospect of being reunited with his brothers after so long."_ She sighed, looking at Marik.

'What's his story anyway?' Bakura asked, glancing side-long at the blond yami. 'Why does he hate the Pharaoh? And how did he end up possessing Malik?'

A smile tugged at the corners of Bast's lips and she began to fade from view. _"Now if I simply told you the answer I would be robbing you of a chance to socialize. You're almost to your destination so I'll leave you be for now. Ask Rajan for their story later. As for the rest, I am certain it will come in time."_

"Damn it," Bakura swore under his breath as Bast fell silent and vanished. It frustrated him to know that she held so many answers and yet refused to surrender them. He looked up to see they were approaching a mansion.

"We're going to ask Kaiba directly?" the thief mused.

"Weren't you paying attention, kitty?" Malik smirked. "We were just talking about it."

"You call Bakura "kitty"?" Yugi snickered, ignoring the growl of irritation from the thief.

"Not a kitty," the thief grumbled, reminding himself that he needed Yugi and Malik _alive._

"It's the collar mostly," Malik explained. "Plus his hair used to do that one thing, remember?"

"Shut up."

Yugi covered his mouth, chuckling as he glanced back at Bakura. "Sorry sorry. Would you feel better if we scratched you behind your ears?"

"Or maybe a belly rub? Some cats like that too," Malik pointed out.

Bakura tugged at the collar on his neck, wishing it would break so he could throw it at the two hikaris.

"Maybe we can ask Kaiba for a piece of string," Marik suggested with a sly grin.

"Oh, that's a good idea, Marik," Malik laughed.

"I...hate...all of you...." Bakura seethed.

"Enough," Rishid barked, catching everyone off guard. "Let us focus on the matter at hand." He gestured toward the mansion before stalking past the others to open the door.

"Killjoy," Marik muttered in annoyance. Bakura trembled a bit but relaxed, pushing his anger aside and mentally grateful for Rishid.

The Kaiba Mansion was just as luxurious as it had always been and the group was startled to find the lights working, floors polished, and servants scurrying about, busy with household chores. It was as if one could forget entirely the darkness and misery that had engulfed the world and pretend everything were alright, an illusion aided by the bright scenery painted on the curtains that shielded the windows.

Marik looked around wide-eyed, fingers twitching slightly. Rajan reacted quickly, grabbing the blond yami's arm and restraining him before he could run off. "I just want to see," came the annoyed response, which prompted Rishid to take hold of his other arm. "You guys suck! Let me go!"

"Welcome to Hinanjo(2)," one of the maids greeted, coming toward them quickly. She clutched a slim, black book to her chest as she bowed hurriedly. "Have you come seeking refuge or are you looking for someone?"

Yugi stepped forward. "We need to speak to Mr. Kaiba right away."

The maid jolted as if shocked and bowed again. "Oh! Mr. Mutou! I didn't see you, I'm sorry! Come with me!" She motioned to them and lead them up a grand stairway. Rishid and Rajan refused to release Marik, ignoring his protests.

"Why's it so bright in here?" Bakura tsked, trying to sound more annoyed than curious.

"Ah, you don't know?" the maid asked, not waiting for an answer before continuing. "Kaiba Corporation maintains eighty percent of the generators in the world, providing service technicians and training to keep them running for as long as possible. It is no small task, but it is something that Mr. Seto Kaiba insisted upon after-" her voice dipped to a whisper as she spoke the name "Zorc". It returned to it's original volume as she continued. "Of course, Mr. Seto Kaiba did not anticipate that the...current situation...would go on this long, but until it is resolved, he vowed to do whatever was necessary. He even converted his mansion into a shelter to take in those who no longer had any. He maintains the ships that travel across the Atlantic and Pacific in the Northern Hemisphere as well." She smiled back at them brightly. "He is truly a source of inspiration in this dark world. Here we are, this is Mr. Kaiba's office. Please be respectful," she added, bowing to them before rushing off.

Bakura rolled his eyes, not intending to be respectful no matter how politely he was asked. Marik, meantime, seemed to have ignored the entire speech and was trying to get loose so he could inspect a light fixture on the wall that seemed to have his interest.

Yugi opened the door, offering the man seated behind the large mahogany desk an innocent grin.

"Mokuba!"

The raven-haired teen looked up from a small dry-erase board he had been writing on, gray eyes brightening as he saw Yugi. He wore a simple, black t-shirt and jeans, his card-shaped locket still hanging around his neck. his hair was cut long, hanging to his shoulder blades, and he had grown taller in the past three years, now just shy of meeting Seto in height. "Hey! Come in!" He rose when he saw there were others with him. "Hey, I recognize you. Malik and Rishid from Battle City...wait..." he looked between Malik and Marik curiously.

"Sit down and I'll explain," Yugi sighed, coming to the desk. Rishid closed the door behind them and stood protectively before it as he released Marik, Rajan following suit. Though there was less for the blond yami to get into, he still seemed intent on touching everything in the room.

'At least he doesn't seem murderous right now...' Rishid noticed, keeping a close watch all the same.

Yugi sat across from Mokuba and began to tell him the abridged version of the full story. The raven-haired teen listened, seeming skeptical at times but remaining silent. Finally Yugi let out a breath as he finished bringing the other up to date, glancing a bit nervously at Marik, who had at some point come to sit on the floor beside his chair and was playing with a Blue Eyes White Dragon statuette.

Mokuba laced his fingers together, leaning his elbows on the desk and leaning his mouth against his hands, staring blankly in thought.

"We really need to catch up with Gamer," Yugi insisted gently, careful to use his friend's nickname rather than his real one. "If we miss him at Harper Hall, we-"

"No."

Marik was on his feet in an instant but remained silent, his hands tightening around the dragon in his hands.

"But-" Yugi began but the teen cut him off.

"I can't just send out another ship," Mokuba closed his eyes. "Seto would....not approve. Not because you were his rival or because he wouldn't believe your story. Hell, I don't know if I believe it. But I can't-" this time he was the one cut off as the Blue Eyes statue was slammed down on the desk with enough force to crack the polished surface and leave an impression.

"_Gamer_," Marik began, spitting out the nickname with distaste, "is my brother and I will not lose a chance to find him just because you're big brother wouldn't approve." He growled a bit and even Rajan was hesitant to attempt restraining him at the moment. "Where is Seto Kaiba. I'll _make_ him let us have a ship."

Mokuba trembled, the blond's rage nearly suffocating. He pushed himself to his feet and turned away to hide his fear, walking toward the large window the stretched over the wall behind him. He sighed, pushing back the curtain with one hand and looking outside.

"Where is he!" Marik demanded, pounding the fist that wasn't clutching the dragon statue against the desk and making Yugi jump, the hikari too petrified to move. Bakura stepped up to him and grabbed one of his wrists tightly in warning.

Malik moved around the desk in hopes of getting an answer before Marik snapped and harmed more than the desk. "Mokuba..."

"Seto isn't here," Mokuba sighed, turning back to face the others. "He left two years ago for America and..." He paused, shaking his head. "Gamer comes by whenever he visits. It's been almost a year since he's heard anything about Seto...but that's not entirely bad I guess..." Gray eyes regarded Bakura and Marik a moment. "Harpers...one thing they do is they collect information...especially names of those who have died." He clutched his locket and closed his eyes tightly. "Gamer hasn't heard anything...so I...I know he's somewhere...that he'll be back one day...that's why I have to do everything I can to keep things running smoothly until he comes back. And that's why I can't just..."

Marik's grip tightened on the statue and for a moment seemed to consider throwing it at the teen.

"Mokuba...I didn't know that..." Yugi frowned.

"He didn't want a lot of people to know," Mokuba admitted. "As far as everyone in Domino was to know, he's just busy...And the Seto they've seen around the city is one of the butlers in disguise. But...he was supposed to be home by now..."

"What is we offered to look for him?" All eyes fell on Rishid, who still stood guard at the door. "We need to travel not only to America but all around the globe in order to locate all of the items as well as Ryou. I would think that we would hear something at least of where he is."

"That's true..."Mokuba turned away again for a moment, mulling this over. He flipped open his locket, examining the picture it held. With a quiet click, he closed it again and held it close to his heart. "...Alright...you win...I just wish I could go with you..." He sighed, turning to face them. "I'll...make arrangements and come by the Game Shop when everything's ready."

Marik's death grip on the hapless statuette relaxed and he straightened, his anger vanishing and expression becoming neutral.

"Thank you, Mokuba," Yugi said softly, finally feeling it was safe enough for him to move and quickly moving away from Marik. Rajan gently prodded his brother in the arm, motioning for him to follow as they all began moving toward the door. "We'll...we'll find him."

Mokuba nodded absently, parting the curtain again as he turned to look outside. Yugi hesitated before following the others. Once alone, the teen looked at the picture in his locket again. "Sorry Seto..."

* * *

AN: I suppose this is as good a place as any to end a chapter :p The next chapter should be more interesting as they are traveling again. Wonder if they'll make it...

Anyway, it's a short chapter that moves the plot along and those always make me feel like I'm boring. hopefully Marik was able to spice it up some with his rage. He'll probably rage a lot, sometimes without much provoking for a good while. Maybe all the way through. Dunno yet, they're still just getting started.

...This is going to take a long long time...

But next I plan to update Hikari to yami no Enishi (just need to kick Michael some to get some duels written ;) ) unless something else strikes me. I do have other things that haven't been updated in months, such as a certain other story involving a boat that people seem to want me to update (and I intend to...eventually...)

Let's see, notes.

(1) Notice how he's not worried about Marik killed Rajan, since Rajan seems to be the only one that can get through to him. And he doesn't seemed concerned about Rishid but that's just because he doesn't _need_ Rishid. Poor guy...

(2) This is a Japanese word! OMG!

I thought about calling it the Kaiba Mansion or something else but I figured it would have some sort of resort-sounding name since they're keeping it so nice and pretty. It means "Place of refuge" or "shelter" so it was fitting. :p

On a side note, I think if this were a video game, Marik and Rishid would be tanks (the ones who hold aggro and take most of the damage for those who don't know the term). But that's just me being a nerd.

Can our heroes catch up with Petri? Will they be able to find the missing Seto Kaiba? Will Bakura kill the next person who calls him "kitty"?

Tune in to find out! Same cat ti-*is mauled by Bakura*


	9. 8: Ginger Tea

AN: Damn...stupid...writer's block...

But I wrote a chapter! (sorry it wasn't HtYnE). And there was a one shot a few days ago in Hooray For One Shots about things from Gamer's point of view.

Anyway (I say that a lot...) hopefully I'll get more writing done tomorrow. Or tonight. We'll see what happens.

*bows* Thanks for reading and reviewing! You guys make me happy :3 *sets out a box of SideQuest Bakuras, complete with bell collar* Enjoy!

* * *

Rishid bowed politely to Mokuba as the others began boarding the ship that had been arranged for them. Jounouchi and the others had prepared backpacks for each of them containing a few items of clothing as well as preserved foods and canteens filled with potable(1) water. They had even hurried to put a bag together for Marik, fitting him with a new black tank top and khaki pants (especially after the blond had growled at other clothing they had offered).

The ship had a skeleton crew who had only been told that the group had urgent business in San Diego. Fortunately they were loyal enough to the Kaiba brothers that no further questions were asked.

"Thank you, Mr. Kaiba."

"Just call me "Mokuba"," the teen replied, offering a small smile. "Mr. Kaiba is my brother...Anyway, good luck. I...I wish I could come..."

Rishid nodded in understanding, resting a hand on Mokuba's shoulder. "But you're place is here. We will do our best to locate your brother."

"I know. But you have your priorities as well. You have to find Ryou and the remaining Millennium Items and one of them is in pieces. Stopping Zorc is more important than looking for Seto." The teen's head bowed and he sighed. "Just...promise me one thing, Rishid. Even if he's...even if you find out that Seto is dead, I want to know. I need to..."

"I understand," Rishid assured him. "If it were Malik or Isis, I would want to know as well."

"Thank you," Mokuba whispered, sniffing a bit before looking up at Rishid. "It looks like everyone's ready. I've already said my goodbyes so I'm going to head back now. Good luck."

* * *

Bakura took a shaky breath as he clung to the rail near the back of the ship. They had been at sea for several hours now and the thief had successfully managed to eat a small meal, which had briefly revisited him as his nausea had worsened. The short trip from Shanghai to Domino hadn't affected him this badly and he was dreading the fact that they would be at sea for nearly two weeks.

He coughed a bit, leaning over the rail a bit but nothing came and he sighed in relief. 'Now if I can just get back to my room without the others noticing.' He caught a glimpse of something and glanced to see a towel hovering beside his head..

"I wondered where you'd disappeared to," Rajan's voice mused. With a faint scrowl, the thief snagged the towel, using it to wipe his mouth and face. "I had some questions."

"What a coincidence, so did I," Bakura grumbled, swallowing hard.

"Let's head to my room then. I've got some ginger tea that will make you feel better." He beckoned the thief with one hand before heading off, confident that the other would follow. "Don't worry, Yugi made it. My attempt was declared toxic, which I didn't think was possible."

Bakura was sorely tempted to ditch Rajan and return to his own room. The promise of answers and tea, however, made his trudge along after the other man. "How do you f*** up tea?"

Rajan laughed, glancing back at Bakura over his shoulder. "I have no idea. Boiling the water should have removed any impurities and the ginger root I acquired seemed alright. You aren't the only one seasick, by the way. Yugi was feeling horrible after dinner. Malik and Rishid seemed a little queasy but were handling it well enough. Even my stomach's a little unsettled and I don't get motion sick. I think Marik's the only one unaffected." He paused tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Then again, I haven't seen Marik since dinner either...but he said he was going to explore."

Bakura groaned a bit as they headed below deck, trying to take the stairs in his usual nimble way if only to keep the bell on his collar quiet.

"Motion sickness is nothing to be embarrassed about you know," Rajan continued amicably. "It's very common."

"Can we change the topic," the thief grumbled, one hand finding the wall to help steady himself as they continued.

"Alright. Can I ask why you helped Zorc?"

Bakura paused, eyes narrowing a bit to glare at the back of Rajan's head. The other stopped as well, glancing back at the thief with a neutral expression. Bakura ended their impromptu staring contest with a heavy sigh, pushing away from the wall and looking at the doors that lined the hall they were in.

"Because it was my best option. Which room is yours?"

Rajan eyed Bakura a moment longer before motioning to the door to his cabin. They were all small rooms with two cot-sized beds, and end table beside each. White sconces on the walls gave off a soft glow giving the occupant just enough light to see. Additionally each room had a private bathroom, though it was barely more than a walk-in closet with a sink and an area to shower in. They had been told not to abuse the limited water supply the ship carried, however, so the "shower" was more for emergency use.

On one of the bedside tables rested a teapot and a few small mugs, the smell of ginger overpowering in the small cabin. Rajan carefully poured two cups and handed one to Bakura, who took it after plunking on the side of a bed. Out of habit he held the mug in both hands and inhaled the spicy scent before blowing on it and taking a sip. He almost slapped himself when he realized he had done so, remembering that it was something Ryou had always done.

Rajan sat cross legged on the other bed and took a few sips of his own tea, crimson eyes looking off to one side at nothing in particular. Finally they met the thief's gaze again.

"It was your best option?" he asked.

"Does it really matter?" Bakura grumbled, privately enjoying the warmth of the mug in his hands and how it did seem to be helping his nausea. "Honestly it all started 3000 years ago and I'm here now to help defeat him. Against my will," he added lest the blond forget that detail.

Rajan was silent again for a while, lost in his own thoughts to the point that he seemed to ignore his own tea for several moments.

"Is that all?" Bakura demanded, finishing his tea and refilling his cup.

"Hmn? Oh, sorry. My other question was about the Millennium Ring. You were imprisoned in it until three years ago, correct?" He took the almost annoyed glare from the thief as an affirmation and continued. "In that time, it must have passed hands many times. Were their others you possessed to search out the Millennium Items?"

This time it was Bakura who let the silence linger for a time before replying. "There were a few others I...connected with briefly(2). Can't really remember who or when..." He trailed off again, mildly annoyed that Rajan's question had made him realize that his memories of the past 3000 years weren't very clear, though he supposed it was understandable. He shook his head after a moment. "Ryou was the only one I was able to "possess" as you say. I take it you had a reason for asking?"

"Rameses," Rajan replied, remembering his tea suddenly and taking a sip before setting the cup aside. "I was talking to him earlier and he said he had been sealed in the Millennium Rod. It also seemed that Malik was the only one he was able to..._connect_ with. I assume it was the same with Yugi and the Pharaoh who is sealed in the Millennium Puzzle."

"Probably," Bakura shrugged. "The Puzzle was smashed and hidden until a few decades ago. A lot of people tried to put it back together but Yugi was the first to manage it. Wouldn't be that much of a stretch to assume there was a reason for it."

"I see..." the blond murmured, gripping his chin thoughtfully. "So he was able to connect with Malik and use him to...hmm...It would be because of what you mentioned earlier then. About those with the power of light and dark. A bit clichéd but then the connects you all have are based on the power you are said to hold?"

_"More or less,"_ Bast answered, Bakura jerking a bit at her sudden response. He scrowled into his tea before relaying the message.

Rajan quirked a brow but nodded

"I have a question for you now," Bakura continued. "What's up with Rameses-slash-Marik anyway? Why does he hate the Pharaoh?"

"I have a theory, though I don't want to ask him directly just yet. Still, I knew Rameses better than anyone so it's probably close enough to the truth." He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "When we were growing up, Rameses was hyper, to say the least. He loved exploring and made friends with almost everyone he met. He got in trouble a lot as well as dragging Petri and myself along, but he always accepted full responsibility and took whatever punishment our father gave him. Usually he was given to a neighbor of ours to work on a farm for several hours, not that Rameses viewed it as punishment. He actually loved it because it made him stronger.

"I was around...ten years old when I first saw that Rameses had a problem," Rajan hummed a bit, pausing to sift through his memories. "I had been attended scribe school, even though our father was fisherman. I was obsessed with wanting to learn how to read and write and was fortunate to get into school at all. Rameses had started pestering me from day one of my classes, wanting to teach me to fight, but I had insisted that it wasn't something a scribe needed to worry about.

"It was on my way home one day that I regretted turning him down. A few of my classmates were disgusted that I seemed to excel in my studies and cornered me, trying to scare me into quitting. Marik saw one of them hit me and pounced on him. I'd seen him fight before, but that day was different. It wasn't self defense or simply standing up to a bully. Looking back, I wonder if he would have stopped on his own if I hadn't said something..." Rajan shook his head. "It only got worse after that. Even after I had learned to fight...and after Petri had learned even. If anyone threatened his family, he would respond savagely. It was almost as if he became another person...hmph...no, I think the bast way to put it is he became _Marik_."

"So the Marik we know is just a pissed off Rameses?" Bakura tsked, setting his mug aside and slouching forward, his right hand on one tight, left elbow on the other.

"Something like that anyway," Rajan nodded. "Only more restrained. He confided in me that he was actually terrified that he might kill someone one day. Rameses never wanted to be a murderer. We had been working on it, though. It seemed to respond to my suggestions and was slowly starting to learn how to control himself so he didn't fly into those fits of rage as often." The blond paused, pursing his lips.

"And so what happened next?" Bakura prompted.

"Our father died." Rajan's eyes grew distant, recalling a time three thousand years ago. "Rameses took it the hardest of all of us...There were five children in all, by the way. Rameses wasn't a full year older than I was. Then there was Petri, Zahira, and Aasera. Anyway, Rameses wanted to make certain our family lived well and decided to become a guard at the palace. He convinced me to leave my job and apply with him and I don't even know how Petri was talked into it."

"You were a scribe," Bakura scoffed. "Why the f*** would you give up being a scribe to be a guard?"

Rajan laughed softly, a grin crossing his features. "I was bored. Anyway, Rameses had some elaborate plan to get me supplanted as a priest if not the Pharaoh's personal scribe. I would have liked to see how it played out..." His grin was replaced with a serious look. "You know what our Ka spirits are. Ra the Winged God Dragon. Osiris the Sky Dragon. Obelisk the Giant God Solider. Before they would accept us as guards, they wanted to see if we possessed Ka spirits to ensure we wouldn't be a threat."

"And they probably pissed themselves when they saw yours," Bakura guessed.

"They only saw mine and Petri's before they were stopped by another priest. Ah, what was his name..Ak...Akunadin?" Rajan squinted as if it would help him remember the man's name. Bakura's eyes narrowed for a different reason. "He had us sent to another room to wait while he conferred with the others and then they called us, one at a time, to speak to us individually. If they had started with Rameses they might have gotten off easy, but they started with Petri. When it came to be my turn, I saw him laying dead on the ground in the shadows before I was killed. Our Ka spirits were too powerful to just seal away. The process was fatal but they didn't care."

"Seems as though that was a recurring trend back then," the thief grumbled.

"Hmmn. I can only imagine that seeing both his brothers dead and being told that it was "for the good of the world" and mentioning that our Ka would be used by a chosen Pharaoh when the time came would have sent him into a blind rage. And if they had forced Raa to appear, I have to wonder how they stopped him...and how many died in the process."

"It had to be contained," Bakura began thoughtfully. "Otherwise I would have likely heard something. They must have sealed his soul into the Millennium Rod then. And if he was that enraged, then being trapped alone for thousands of years-"

"-would explain a lot," Rajan finished, closing his eyes. "Especially if he was conscious for the duration of his imprisonment. He had to have guessed that the Millennium Items would end up close to the "chosen Pharaoh" and decided to take his revenge to what he may have concluded to be the direct cause for our deaths."

"Makes about as much sense as anything else," Bakura tsked, sitting back and rolling his shoulders a bit.

_"The Pharaoh gets blamed for a lot doesn't he?"_ Bast hummed in Bakura's ear, the thief looking toward the sound instinctively.

"I'll do what I can to work with..Marik," Rajan promised, opening his eyes in time for Bakura to return his attention to him. "He's sleeping in here and, if nothing else, maybe I can keep him from flying off the handle randomly. I suppose step one is to convince him that the Pharaoh isn't our enemy."

"Not that we'll have to worry about that for a while," Bakura tsked, getting to his feet and stretching his arms over his head. He was mildly amused to feel the roof against his fingertips before moving to the door.

"Why don't _you_ like the Pharaoh?" Rajan dared to ask, not moving from his seat. "If I might ask."

Bakura looked back at blond sharply. He looked back toward the door after a moment and opened his mouth to reply.

"It's fine," Rajan interjected. "We've only just met and we'll be traveling together for a long time I imagine. I can wait."

"Che, whatever," Bakura shrugged, reaching for the door handle. He narrowed his eyes at the barrier as it seemed to move closer as if someone had just closed it. Opening it, however, he didn't see anyone and decided it was his imagination. He crossed the threshold and paused, looking back to find Rajan was watching him curiously. The thief's mouth twitched a bit. "Thanks for the information...and the tea."

Rajan smirked, nodding. "No trouble. I imagine we'll be consuming a lot of ginger on this trip."

Bakura nodded, closing the door without another word and going to his room.

Bast smiled at the thief, following behind him. _'It's a good start, Bakura. You'll be a regular social butterfly in no time.'_ She thought, covering her mouth to suppress a soft giggle at the thought.

* * *

Marik cautiously opened the door of the cabin he hid in, watching as the door to Bakura's room closed. Lavender eyes narrowed in determination and he turned his attention to another door, leaving his hiding place and moving silently to it. As he opened the door to this cabin, he heard a soft groan and immediately saw the source.

Malik lay on one of the bed, eyes screwed shut and sweating a bit. The arm beneath him held his stomach while his other hand clutched the pillow near his face.

"Did you get it, Rishid?" he stricken blond asked, lilac eyes cracking open, expecting to see his adopted brother. They widened in alarm when they found instead that blond yami, who bounded to the bed and was suddenly on top of him, straddling his waist and forcing Malik onto his back. The hikari gaped a few seconds before his eyes drifted toward the Millennium Rod, resting on the bedside table. Desperate and fearing for his life, he reached out for the item that might save him.

Marik was faster, however, catching Malik's wrist and pinning it to the bed, capturing the other and effectively pinning the other man to the small bed.

"Calm down."

Malik would have been disgusted to hear the whimper that escaped his throat if he wasn't certain he was going to die. He looked to the door and tried to make Rishid appear. He struggled against Marik, ignoring his nausea and opened his mouth to call for help when the hand furthest from the Millennium Rod was released, silencing him. Malik fought to remove the hand, freezing when Marik's face was suddenly just inches from his own. He blinked, noticing for the first time that the yami's face was emotionless and that the eye symbol on his forehead was absent.

"I'm moving my hand," Marik said calmly, doing as he had said. Malik drew in a deep breath, trying to be calm.

"What do you want?"

Marik's immediate reply was to move his hand to Malik's hair, fingers combing through it. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" the trapped blond demanded. "You came into my room, pinned me down, and now you're...you're petting my hair...for no reason?"

Marik hummed a bit, tilting his hair and seemingly intrigued by Malik's hair, his fingers moving to massage his scalp. Pouting a bit, the hikari sighed, relaxing as the other's fingers alternated before combing through his hair and rubbing small circles into his scalp. It wasn't until he the other hand mimicking the first on the other side of his head that he realized his other hand was free. He considered making another grab for the Millennium Rod but decided against it.

"Having fun?" Malik asked finally. Marik didn't reply, instead moving his hands to massage the back of Malik's neck and base of his skull. 'Is he going to break my neck? Crush my skull? Lull me into a false sense of security?' He sighed, letting his eyes fall closed. 'Where is Rishid? This actually doesn't feel so bad...I don't even feel sick right now...'

Marik's lips twitched into a small smile, his hands continuing to massage the other's head, stopping only when Malik's breathing had evened out. He carefully got off the other blond and gently rolled him onto his side before arranging the covers over him. He honestly didn't know what had prompted him to do so, but he was hardly in a position to question his own actions. After brushing a few bangs out of the other's face he quietly left the room.(3)

'Wait...' Marik paused outside the room he was sharing with Rajan, glancing back at Malik's room. '...Damn it, I was going to ask him something!' He groaned and hit himself on the forehead.

* * *

AN: Silly Marik, don't lull people to sleep when you want to ask them things! It's counterproductive.

I dunno, I had a bad headache and rubbing my head made me feel better and sleepy. Plus I thought it was cute. Mainly it was a scene to show that Marik doesn't always have to be violent. :p

But now we have some more background on Marik/Rameses and we see that almost everyone is seasick. I read that ginger tea is good of nausea among other things and that sailors would (still do?) eat gingersnaps, drink ginger ale, and consume ginger in other ways (I forget all of them) to help with seasickness.

Seeing as drugs are probably harder to come by, I decided that the gang would have to rely on natural remedies, which are probably easier to get a hold of but still hard to find.

Or something...

Anyway, ginger for everyone! *puts out gingersnaps and other tasty ginger treats*

(1) Lol I used a big word! (sort of XD). If you don't know, potable: suitable for drinking.

Every time I hear/say that word I think of Dune. :p

(2) In Capsule Monsters I believe it was mentioned that Alexander the Great had the Millennium Ring for a while. Figured that Bakura/Zorc might have influenced a few others but he couldn't actually take over another's body until he ended up in Ryou's hands.

Makes sense?

(3) FOR THE NON-YAOI READERS: Marik was being weird and strangely affectionate, but he doesn't really understand why he did it. It wasn't intended at a yaoi scene, just a "WTF Marik? W-T-F?" moment. Now don't read the next paragraph :D

FOR THE YAOI READERS: Marik was being weird and strangely affectionate, be he doesn't really understand why he did it. It was intended as a "WTF Marik? W-T-F" scene but it will probably lead to more interesting things later. Use your imagination you silly yaoi fans.

Anyway, next time they'll be doing some things ON A BOAT (hurr hurr) and then they will get off the boat. What, you expect me to write their entire trip day-to-day? :p


	10. 9: Cabin Fever

AN: EMO CHAPTER IS EMO

Ahem. Yet another chapter that I'm not pleased with but in my defense I've been miserable with allergies, suffering from writer's block, and stricken with a bad case of attention deficit disorder. It does not make for a good writing mind set.

In other news, I'll be going to Florida for a baby shower and will be gone from Thursday to Monday (15-19) but I'm really hoping to get a chapter of Hikari to Yami no Game written before I go and I'll take my laptop with me in hopes of getting some writing done when I'm not being abducted by old friends.

The baby shower is for my little sister (I have to younger sisters which I refer to as little sister and baby sister :p). So I'm going to be an aunt. Dunno if I mention this before. *tosses confetti*

Enough rambling though. I hope you enjoy this chapter and that some of you might be persuaded to review so I know if you're enjoying it or not :p Oh and I made another video which is up on my youtube account (Morlyndia). It's silly! *runs away*

* * *

**Day 1**

Malik hugged his knees to his chest, the Millennium Rod clutched in one hand as he watched the door silently. He couldn't figure out why Marik hadn't killed him when he had the opportunity let alone why he had behaved the way he had: pinning him down on the bed and petting him.

Worst of all, he had fallen asleep! How had he dozed off in such a vulnerable position? The question taunted him but he pushed it away and tried to focus on the matter at hand.

'Yes, I'm feeling better but that's because I got some sleep. Marik didn't kill me, true, but why did he do that to me? And what if he tries again?' His hand tightened on the Millennium Rod. 'I'll keep the Rod on me at all times. Even when I'm sleeping I'll keep it under my pillow. I'll have to be on guard. Like hell I'll let him get that close to me again.'

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "I've lived through worse I suppose. Doesn't make the next two weeks any more appealing."

* * *

**Day 2**

"Is there a reason you're poking me in the arm?" Rajan groaned, trying to simultaneously protect his arm and bury his head in his pillow. When the poking continued he cracked one eye open to glare at the offender. "I'm sleeping."

"Lies," Marik chirped, sounding overly cheerful. "Get up. You've been slacking off."

"What?" Rajan blinked both eyes open enough to give the yami a questioning look.

"You're weak! Look at these arms!" To prove his point, he took hold of the arm he had been prodding and grabbed it's bicep. "Anzu Mazaki is stronger than you! Do you even know how sad that is!(1)"

Rajan groaned again, trying to retract his arm. "I hear what you're saying and I am certain your concerns hold some truth, though I'm not as weak as I think you're implying. You can tell me all about it when I wake up and I'll give you at least three-quarters of my undivided attention."

"Big words won't save you!" Marik scoffed, giving the limb a hard tug, dragging it's owner off the bed to fall unceremoniously to the floor. "Get up! I found a gym yesterday! They have all kinds of cool stuff! Get up! We'll be at sea for two weeks so it's a good time to-gah!" He stumbled back as Rajan grabbed one of his ankles and pulled him off balance, catching himself quickly and blinking down at him. "Ha! You're stronger than I thought but you're still weak!"

"You're not going to shut up until I agree are you?"

"Nope."

Rajan sighed, pushing himself up off the floor and brushing himself off. "Fine let me get something coffee-ish first though. And why are you so happy?"

Marik blinked, tilting his head and seeming to dwell on the question for a moment before grinning and dragging Rajan off.

* * *

Bakura grunted as he pushed himself up from the floor, trying to pretend he didn't hear the bell around his neck.. "Ninety-eight."

Bast watched the thief as he continued doing push ups, perched invisibly on one of the bed beside his red and yellow robes. _"Ah mortal males and their dominance issues..."_

"Shut up. Ninety-nine."

_"You're strong as you are now,"_ she mused. _"In fact, had Marik not over powered you yesterday-"_

"Shut up. One hundred." He pushed himself back onto his knees and rolled his shoulders.

_"I'm just saying-"_

"Shut up," he growled, getting to his feet and entering the bathroom. He splashed a few handfuls of water onto his hair, face, and chest and dried himself off with a towel that he had found hanging in there earlier. His stomach rolled a bit to remind him that the boat was moving and he added "find ginger tea" to his mental to-do list as he pulled his robes back on.

_"A shame there aren't any women on the ship to fawn over your manliness,"_ she teased. Bakura ignored her, hanging the Millennium Ring around his neck before leaving the room.

"Stop talking, Bast. I-"

"Morning kitty!" Malik chimed, quickly running past the thief before he could be killed.

_"You can't kill him. You need him, remember?"_

"You say that as if it would stop me," Bakura grumbled, heading toward Rajan and Marik's room.

_"No one's in there,"_ Bast informed him. _"They went the the ship's gym earlier. It's up on the lido deck."_

"I would ask how you know that but then you would answer me." Brushing fingers through his bangs, he turned on heel and headed to to the top deck.

The boat they traveled on had once been a small yet luxurious cruise liner owned by Kaiba Corp. The lido deck had once hosted a large pool complete with a tall water slide. Passengers would lounge by the pool when they weren't swimming, waiting to hail down a staff member to order another drink that was mode more costly by the accompaniment of a small paper umbrella or cheesy plastic cup. Now it was bare of all table, chairs, and slides and the pool was empty and covered with a tarp in a vain attempt to keep anyone from falling into it.

Once on the deck, Bakura squinted through the murky darkness and paused to let his eyes adjust only to close them when he heard the echoy chime of the bell under his chin. He opened them again to see that Bast had done as he had anticipated and the area around him was now lit by a silvery light. He opted not to complain as it did make crossing the deck far easier. Upon entering the small gym it didn't take much effort to find the pair he was looking for. Rajan sat straddling the seat of one machine, his eyes closed and arms hanging at his sides in open defiance of Marik's insistence that he do one more rep.

"Gods you're loud," Bakura tsked. Marik turned on his, eyes narrowing suddenly growling at the thief.

"Down Marik," Rajan sighed, relieved that something had finally distracted his brother enough for him to get off the machine and retrieve his shirt. "Heh, I wish I had a portable light source."

"I'd give you mine but I can't take the damn thing off. And believe me, I've tried." For emphasis he tugged on the collar around his neck. "We need to talk."

"Straight and too the point as usual. What's up?" Rajan asked, eying Marik's cautiously as the other blond still seemed ready to pounce on and/or maim Bakura.

"You suck at controlling Osiris," the thief smirked, amused when Marik took a step towards him.

"I can't deny that," Rajan chuckled. "But I hardly think it's my fault that he's...hmm, well I don't really have a good analogy to describe his size, but you've seen him yourself. Not to mention he's powerful."

"But I still have Raa summoned and he's all the way in Domino," Marik pointed out, calm replacing rage so suddenly that both Rajan and Bakura were momentarily stunned. "You wouldn't have Osiris if you didn't have it in you to control him."

Rajan brought a fist to his mouth and coughed softly. "You can hardly compare us though. I wouldn't be surprised if you could summon Raa, Osiris, and Obelisk and still have energy left to burn."

While Marik pondered the accuracy of that statement, Bakura moved closer to Rajan. "Much as I would _love_ to deny it, Marik is correct. The trouble is that you don't know how to control your energy. What's the best way to explain it..." he trailed off, tapping his chin. "Let's say that you're energy is 100 and you only need to use about...10% of that to summon and command Osiris but you're _giving_ him 90 to 95. That's why both times you've used him you were left almost completely drained."

"Both...Oh, so that's how we ended up in Shanghai. I hadn't even considered that..." Rajan hummed. "But if I only need, as you said, "10%", then why-"

"Ooo! Ooo!" Marik suddenly appeared beside them, grinning widely. "It's because Osiris takes whatever you give him! You have to-" he was cut off by Bakura's hand covering his mouth.

"I'll tell him, you go- OW!" The thief yelped, pulling his hand back and nursing a bite wound.

"I want to tell him! He's my brother!" Marik snapped, his anger seconds away from returning in full force. Rajan quickly intervened, stepping between the two yami.

"Why don't you both explain it to me in your own way and let me try and figure it out from there. Marik, you can go first," he added, giving Bakura a look that begged him not to argue.

"Che, whatever," Bakura shrugged, taking a seat on one of the pieces of equipment.

"What's that supposed to mean," Marik growled defensively.

Rajan sighed, covering his face with one hand. 'Ra help me...'

* * *

**Day 4**

Yugi laid on his back on the floor between the beds in Malik's room, a forearm over his eyes. Malik was stretched out on his belly on one of the beds, his head propped up on one hand while the other traced the eye of the Millennium Rod idly.

"Feeling any better?" The blond asked distractedly.

"A little," the shorter man sighed, his other hand moving to rest on his stomach. "I was hoping I would be used to this by now."

Malik hummed a bit. "How are you otherwise? I hardly see you outside of meals."

"I....To be honest, I don't want to be around Bakura," Yugi admitted. "After what he did...I...I hate him..."

"Welcome to the club," the blond laughed dryly. "I hate him, you hate him. Marik acts like he hates him but then he growls a lot. The only ones who seem to _like_ him are Rishid and Rajan, but in Rajan's defense, he doesn't know him like we do."

"I hate him..." Yugi repeated, his voice cracking a bit. Malik looked down at him, startled. "I...I hate him, Malik...It's not...it's not..."

"Yugi?" The blond's voice was edged in concern as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He had seen many people cry in the past three years. But somehow seeing Yugi, the former vessel of the Pharaoh who had faced and overcome so many trials, in tears left him speechless for a moment.

"H-hey," Malik found his voice finally and slipped off the bed to sit beside him. "Yugi-"

"I don't want to be here!" the shorter man all but screamed. "I want to go home!"

Malik drew in a deep breath before grabbing Yugi's shoulders and trying to haul him into a sitting position. "Come here. Sit up." The other man tried to fight him at first but finally complied, allowing himself to be maneuvered though he was shaking badly and sobbing openly. He buried his face in Malik's shoulder when he felt himself being hugged, clinging to the blond like a life line and mumbling incoherently.

Malik closed his eyes, petting Yugi's back and letting him cry. He glanced up when Rishid entered with a small bowl of gingersnaps and a cup of tea. The taller Egyptian didn't question the scene he had stumbled upon, merely closing the door and seating himself on the opposite bed. Both waited patiently for Yugi to calm down before offering him the tea.

"'m sorry..." the shorter man whispered, sipping at his drink.

"You don't have to apologize," Malik insisted, keeping an arm around Yugi's shoulders to steady him. "Talk to us, Yugi."

Yugi shivered a bit, closing his eyes and taking a gulp of tea. "I've had...nightmares...since then...Most of them involve Bakura and...and being so close to him...having to...rely on him to help us..." he shuddered, shaking his head. "They haven't been so frequent in the past few months but I've been having then every night since we got on this boat. I...I've tried to deal with it..."

"Do you want to sleep with me or Rishid for the rest of the trip?" Malik asked softly.

"I...maybe...I don't know..." Yugi sighed, shoulders slumping. "It's not just _him_ though. We've also got Marik on board and he...god, he's just _huge_. And you just never know what mood he'll be in from one second to the next. Happy, hyper, pissed...he's so...bipolar and I'm scared he's going to snap and try to kill someone."

"I don't think we have to worry about that," Rishid replied. "Rajan is always with him and seems to know how to keep him in check. As for Bakura, he has been...surly but in the time he's been with us he's actually saved Malik's life twice now, usn't that right?"

"Doesn't mean I have to like him," Malik tsked.

Rishid sighed quietly. "Despite his reasons, he is our ally now and we can be certain that Bast will keep him in check. That may not stop your nightmares or quiet your fears, but try to keep in mind that we currently have the same goals. We should at least try to get along."

Malik made a face, not quiet agreeing with Rishid's statement but not wanting to argue in hopes that it would help Yugi. The ship rocked suddenly, distracting them from their conversation as the lights flickered ominously.

"That's the third time that's happened in the past two days," Malik shivered, drawing Yugi closer to him as if to protect him.

"I asked about that actually," Rishid began, looking up at the lights flickered a bit once more before brightening. "According to our captain, this is normal in the Pacific, though he has heard the other seas aren't so violent. It's supposed to get worse in the next three days and then begin to subside."

"Great," Malik breathed out, slouching back against the bed behind him.

"Can I sleep in here, Malik?" Yugi asked softly.

"I already said you could," the blond smiled reassuringly. "We'll get through this, Yugi."

Yugi nodded, looking up at Rishid. "I'll...try to keep what you said in mind, Rishid. I think right now, though, I just...want to sleep for a bit."

* * *

**Day 6**

Marik stood on the bow of the ship, hands tightly clutching the railing as he leaned forward and peered into the endless darkness. He didn't care the the ship rocked and swayed and simply ignored the nausea and vertigo that wracked his body. He felt horribly sad and completely disgusted with himself at the moment.

Over the past few days, Bakura and he had been working with Rajan and helping him train both mentally and physically, a task only complicated by spastic lurching of their vessel. The blond hated to admit that he was becoming accustomed to Bakura's presence. So much so that he couldn't find reason to dislike the other, though he reasoned it was because Rajan seemed to have befriended him. When the thief wasn't around, Rajan remained. He saw the others at times, usually when they dared to try and eat something if only because they needed to. It was at those times he noticed a growing trend.

Malik and Yugi would eat together. Rishid either ate with them or with Bakura. Bakura more often than not seemed to converse with Bast, whom only he could see.

And Marik sat with Rajan. Always Rajan. Day after day. He was never left to himself and at first he was alright with this fact. After all, he blamed the deaths of his brothers on himself and so it was good to be reunited with one of them.

But after six days, he had begun to feel suffocated and had snapped at him. He had raised his voice, had yelled, and had even grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shaken him. It wasn't until he saw the hint of fear in Rajan's eyes; had heard the uneasiness in his voice as his words tried to calm him down, that he realized he'd crossed a line. In an instant he had released Rajan as though he'd been burned and run off, needing to put as much distance between them as possible.

And so now he stood at the front of the ship, certain that none of the others were be brave (or crazy) enough to come looking for him. He wanted to be sick but had settled for venting his frustrations and self loathing at the darkness where the sound of the uneasy sea could dissolve his words so that no one else would hear them.

He had finished yelling, his throat sore and voice tired. His hands hurt from gripping the railing so tightly and at some point he at started crying and forgotten to stop. But out here he was alone and only the darkness bore witness to his depression.

"---k"

Marik's ears perked a bit, thinking he had heard someone calling him.

"-arik!"

Glancing back over his shoulder, the blond yami was stunned to see a familiar golden glow approaching him slowly, unsteadily. Squinting his eyes he could make out Malik's face illuminated by the golden light coming from the Millennium Rod.

'How...'

"Marik what in Ra's name are you doing out here!? Are you stupid!" Malik yelled, his voice muted but the words were clear. "Rajan's worried sick! We all are!"

"Don't lie to me Hikari!" Marik shouted back, wincing as his throat ached.

Malik rolled his eyes, carefully making his way closer. "Why would I be out here if we weren't worried?"

"You're only worried I might kill someone," the yami spat back. "Leave me alone." He turned away, slouching against the rail he clung to and frowning when the light of the Rod stopped right behind him. The pair stood in silence for several minutes before Marik finally dared to speak. "How...did you find me?"

Malik sighed, looking over the rail briefly. "I don't know. I just...knew where to find you."

The silence stretched out between them again, neither certain what to say or how to act. Once again it was Marik who spoke first.

"Do you still hate him, Hikari? The nameless Pharaoh?"

"No." The answer was so soft that Marik almost missed it. "You do?"

"I want to...is that wrong of me?" the yami asked, swallowing hard before he continued. "They told me that my brothers had died for him, that "chosen Pharaoh". They said that only he could use our Ka spirits, but that's not true. We could use them. Can use them. Will use...Why...did we have to die?"

"I..."

"And in the end Zorc won so what did we die for?" Marik demanded, knowing that Malik didn't have the answers he needed. His head bowed forward and he clenched his teeth in a vain attempt to swallow back the depression ravaging his mind and body. He jerked when he felt Malik's hand grasp his upper arm firmly.

"I don't know," Malik admitted. "But...you're alive now, aren't you?"

"Now..." Marik's body shook, torn between laughing and crying. He turned on Malik, gesturing to himself wildly. "I'm not alive! I died and was stuck in that Rod for three thousand years! Then I was stuck in the shadow realm for...I don't even know! I'm not alive! I...I don't know what I am! I don't know what will happen when we kill Zorc! Hikari I'm scared! I don't know what's wrong with me! I..." he started to hyperventilate, his eyes distant and looking past Malik. "I don't know...I don't..."

Malik's chest burned, his head throbbing though he couldn't guess why. He slipped the Millennium Rod through his belt so it pressed against his hip and grabbed both of Marik's hands in a vain attempt to get him to calm down. In that instant everything else melted away and nothing else seemed to matter. Lilac eyes met lavender and something struck both of them and left them both breathless. The Rod flashed brightly, reestablishing a connection they had both lost during the Battle City finals.

In the aftermath, Marik crushed Malik to him and sobbed openly, the latter simply holding him.

* * *

"Marik!" Rajan breath in relief when his missing brother returned, Malik at his side. The wild-haired blond grinned and bear-hugged his brother. "Geh...go-good to see you too."

"Che, 'bout time you turned up," Bakura tsked, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the other yami.

"Shut up kitty," Malik teased, smirking at the glare he earned.

"I'm sorry about-"

"I forgive you," Rajan cut Marik off, trying to pry the other's arms off him so he could breathe. "Now stop trying to crush me."

Malik smiled, eying Marik knowingly before heading to his room. "I'm going to lay down for a bit."

Bakura shrugged, turning to head back to his own room when the Millennium Ring began to glow, all eyes looking toward it.

"You have got to be f***ing kidding me..." Bakura sighed, covering his face with one hand.

* * *

AN: I'm going to stop this train wreck now if that's ok with all of you. The next chapter will be more exciting than this one, I swear.

But hopefully this will help my writer's block and I can get more stuff written fast. I have so many ideas for SideQuest that won't happen for several more chapters. *sigh* But maybe we'll see Petri again in the next chapter!

This chapter had Marik in lots of different moods. I hope they made sense. And pretty much Malik and Marik have a mind link again now (which wasn't planned but since I write as I go, nothing is set in stone :p). How will this affect things! Well, you'll just have to find out!

This chapter also showed that Yugi's been suffering in silence. And that Malik seems to be the "emotional overload" go-to guy.

I think I'm going to dub this the "emo" chapter. In fact I'll make a note of them in the top ANs after I finish writing this.

Anyway: oh my! What's this! The Millennium Ring is detecting something! What will it be!

Hopefully this chapter didn't scare you guys away. I blame the writer's block. Review and let me know how it's going! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

(1) Dear Anzu fans: I'm not calling Anzu weak, Marik is. :p


	11. 10: Beneathe the Waves

AN: GUH Sorry for the long delay. This time it wasn't so much writer's block as no time/focus to write.

In Florida I spent a lot of time with my friends and by the time I got back to my mom's every night I was exhausted. I never even unpacked my laptop! And then I came back up to Florida and something that happened while I was down their so consumed my thoughts that I couldn't write more than a sentence or two in a sitting.

That coupled with working every day for the past 5 days really just killed my ability to function as an author. But I think things will be fine.

Oh, before I left town I did decide to start another pet/side project. I posted it on my youtube account (Moryndia). Ever hear of a series called Fushigi Yugi? I've decided to abridge it. Yes, that's right. I obviously don't have enough on my plate, I've decided to start and abridged series.

Funny thing is that I planned to go it alone with the voices (which is bad since 95% of the cast is male) but my friends watched it and decided to offer their voices to it. I haven't started re-recording episode one yet, but it'll get an over haul in the near future once I get everyone on the same page.

I've been told that it's not bad for what it is now. And hey, you can hear me doing voices (though my roommate swears he wouldn't have known it was my voice if he didn't know I'd recorded it so you don't get to hear my actual speaking voice, sorry XD). Check it out and let me know what you think!

I think that's about it for me. Feel free to ask questions about anything and I'll try to answer them. Tank you for reading and extra love for reviewing!

* * *

Malik had never considered himself weak. He had survived so much in his childhood. Being born, being bitten by a poisonous snake and nearly dying, being tied down by his own father and having his back forever scarred with a heated blade(1).

That was the day Marik had come into his life, though back then he had thought it nothing more than an imaginary friend. Someone he couldn't see that he could talk to about his fears, his pain, his anger.

Malik knew it was Marik who had killed his father not long after, but he hadn't stopped him. Be it that he was only a child or whatever other reason he could fabricate, he had _allowed_ Marik to take control, if only for a brief time. He had been angry with his father, so much that he could even say he hated him. It was his father who had condemned him to living underground. It was his father who had carved the ancient text into his back. It was his father who had punished and nearly killed Rishid when Isis and taken him to the surface. He hated him.

But he had grieved his loss for months because, in the end, the man had been his father and, in his own harsh way, he had loved Malik.

::I'm sorry.::

The years had passed slowly at the time, though looking back they seemed to fly by. Leaving their ancient home, learning English and Japanese, traveling around the world in search of rare and powerful cards, ultimately planning to attain all three god cards. He had abused the Millennium Rod's power, taking control of others in order to fulfill his goals. Rishid had stood beside him, but then hadn't Marik as well?

Malik weighed the thought in him mind. :It was a long time ago.:

::He was a threat. I acted without really thinking,:: Marik continued through their mind link. ::But-::

:It's in the past,: Malik replied evenly. :We'll talk about it later, ok? Let's focus on the present for now. How's it looking?:

After the Battle City Finals, Malik had grown stronger still both physically and emotionally. The past three years had been hard, but he had learned who he was and was comfortable with the man he had become. The days all seemed to run together but he knew he was nearly 21 years old(2) now. He thought he knew everything about himself.

::Bakura's honing in on the signal. Are you ok? You're nauseous,:: Marik stated, sensing the other's condition.

:I'll be fine,: Malik assured him. :Yugi and Rishid should be on this floor.:

Until Rajan had come to them not even two hours ago, he hadn't even considered that he and Marik had had a deep connection.

---

"So what?" Bakura tsked, shrugging his shoulders. "Let him run around for a bit. Where's he going to go?"

"Don't you get it!?" Rajan snapped, looking at all of them, panic evident in his eyes. "Think about how his emotions have been. He always snaps to the most extreme. You've seen what he's like happy and angry. If I had to guess he's either angry at himself right now or upset about how close he was to hitting me."

"You're afraid he'll hurt himself," Rishid guessed, the crimson-eyed blond nodding in response.

"Hurt himself?" Malik echoed softly.

"Then let's split up and look for him," Yugi insisted. "Rishid come with me and we'll search the lower decks. The rest of you search the upper decks."

"What a pain in the ass," Bakura grumbled.

---

Malik had felt something as they searched. Something inside him to hinted where Marik was, quietly at first and steadily growing louder. Finally, he had slipped away from Bakura and Rajan to follow the invisible tug he felt in his chest. He had been shocked at how fragile Marik had seemed. Vulnerable.

"Yugi! Rishid!" Malik shouted as he spotted the pair. "Bakura's picked up something with the Ring!"

He had resisted the urge to comfort Marik at first, recalling the incident from the first night aboard the ship and remembering vaguely that he had wanted to avoid the wild yami. It was when he had grabbed his hands that he finally understood. Marik. Rameses. He was real. He was more than the spirit of the Millennium Rod who had hijacked his body. This was his yami. Marik had come to a similar conclusion and had suddenly broken down in front of Malik, suddenly comfortable with other other's presence enough to cry and needing to be held and consoled by him and only him.

It had been a strange experience: comforting Marik. Marik never cried. Marik was never weak. Malik assumed that the one he had comforted hadn't been Marik at all but rather Rameses.

The moment had ended suddenly when he ship had been rocked particularity hard and both had ended up sprawled on the deck. Marik's demeanor changed from depressed to protective so suddenly that even with their mind link Malik hadn't seen it coming.

But at least now he could understand his yami better. And with their mind link he felt he could help restrain Marik's anger. Perhaps more.

:Found them. We're heading up now.:

"Malik, are you alright?" Rishid asked as they hurried to meet the others. "Something is...different about you."

Malik smiled. "I know."

* * *

It had taken both Rajan and Rishid to finally coax the captain to steer the ship toward the location the ring pointed to. The crew seemed uneasy at the prospect of stopping for any length of time, eager to find calmer seas to sail.

Yugi clung to the rail, peering at the dark water below. "Somewhere down there?"

"That's what the Ring says," Bakura tsked.

"Damn," Malik whistled. "What do we do now?"

"Che, don't look at me. If I had Diabound it would be another story but I'm sure as hell not going down there."

"If we're talking Ka spirits, Raa's out of the question too then," Malik pointed out.

Bakura sighed. "I don't know if Rajan can handle it but what other choice do we have? Unlike the piece I was detecting in China, this is in the ocean. If we don't try to get it now, it's going to be a bitch to find later." He turned away from the rail.

"Marik's getting him now," Malik stated, folding his arms on the rail and smirking at the thief.

"How do you know?" Yugi asked and then reached out and grabbed the blond's arm, a questioning look in his eyes. Malik nodded in reply.

"Well?" Bakura demanded, turning toward the Egyptian when he heard no reply.

"Figure it out yourself," Malik shrugged, flashing a grin at the thief's irritated look.

* * *

Rajan let out a quiet breath as he peered over the rail, giving the Millennium Ring an occasional glance to determine exactly where the item it detected lay beneath the water. On the outside he hoped he appeared calm and collected to the others. That they couldn't see the apprehension and uncertainty he felt like ice water in his veins.

"It's probably on the ocean floor," Bakura was explaining. "Which means it'll be a bitch to pinpoint."

"Osiris can do it," Marik insisted, crossing his arms over his chest.

'Easy for you to say...' Rajan thought dismally.

"Just remember to stay focused on your energy. If you pass out I'm tossing you overboard," Bakura smirked.

"He's kidding Marik," Malik added quickly, the blond yami's hands unclenching at the assurance.

"It's safe," Rishid said, approaching the others.

"They didn't question why we wanted them all to go below deck?" Yugi asked.

"Not for very long. They are insistent that we leave in less than an hour," the tall Egyptian replied.

"Then let's get this over with," Bakura tsked. He glanced to his side where he knew Bast was hovering. "Light?"

_"I'm sorry, Bakura. Was there something you needed?"_ Bast asked. Though he couldn't see her at the moment, he knew she was smiling at him.

"Bast..." the thief growled lowly.

_"Maybe if you asked nicely I could hear you better."_

Bakura growled softly. "Bast, would you _please_ stop being a _bitch_ and give us some light?" He shot a glare at Malik and Yugi, who were trying not to laugh. When she didn't reply, he sighed. 'Please?'

_"I suppose I'll let you get away with that this time,"_ Bast chuckled. The bell around his neck chimed softly, the aura of silver light spreading far enough to kiss the surface of the water.

"Summon Osiris, Rajan," Marik said, looking to the crimson eyed blond.

Rajan nodded, closing his eyes and taking a slow, deep breath. It felt easier summoning the massive dragon this time. More like extending an arm than trying to push something out of himself and into existence. He looked at the beast silently for a moment, almost in awe of it.

"Some time this year." Bakura's voice cut through his thoughts and he nodded, instructing his Ka to dive under water through their link. He almost laughed when it replied in the form of a sensation that ran through the blond's body, but it's meaning was clear. He glance over his shoulder at the other.

"Osiris wishes you all to know that he is a _sky_ dragon and doesn't much appreciate being told to go underwater," he chuckled.

"He talked to you?" Malik and Yugi asked almost simultaneously.

"Ka don't communicate with their Ba," Bakura narrowed his eyes.

"Yes they do," Marik shot back. "Raa and I talk all the time!" He turned his attention back to Rajan. "There's no one else who can go."

"Oh, he knows," Rajan laughed softly. "He justed wanted you all to know that he's not happy about it." He returned his attention to Osiris, blinking a few times to adjust to the link he shared with his Ka. It took some adjusting to but it was an exhilarating feeling. As though he were suspended in the air with the dragon while his feet were still touching the deck. He could see what Osiris saw, the images more clear whenever he closed his eyes. As Osiris filled his lungs to prepare to dive under water, he instinctively felt the need to hold his as well.

It was when Osiris plunged underwater that he blacked out. He hadn't been as prepared as he had thought. The sensation of flying was replaced by stinging cold that shocked his system followed by increasing pressure against his skin that felt as thought it was crushing him slowly. He wanted to exhale and refill his lungs but they wouldn't respond because Osiris wasn't breathing. Panic swallowed him whole at the mix of conflicting signals. He felt wet, but was dry. He was surrounded by impenetrable darkness and bathed in silver light. He could feel the increasing pressure as Osiris dove deeper yet he himself was still (relatively) safe on the deck of the ship.

Muffled voices tried to reach him through the sounds of rushing, bubbling water, suffocating silence, and the thudding of his heart. His lungs burned and he felt like he might pass out. It was Marik's voice that suddenly broke through it all, his hands holding his face almost painfully tight and yelling at him to open his eyes. He complied slowly, his vision blurred. Another command was being shouted at him and his brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of it.

"BREATHE!" Marik cried, his fingers tightening a bit. "Breathe Rajan! It's ok! You won't drown!"

Rajan complied with this as well, his head falling back as he started breathing again on the verge of hyperventilating. He came in contact with a solid object and realized that someone was holding him up, their arms hooked under his own and bracing them against their chest. Someone else started fanning him with something, the small rushes of air feeling cool against his face.

"Breath slowly Rajan," Yugi insisted. "In through your nose and out through your mouth. That's it."

"Don't you dare pass out on us," Bakura's voice spoke from somewhere over him.

Rajan closed his eyes, continuing to breathe as Yugi instructed. "I'm ok..." he said finally. "I'm ok," he repeated the words with more certainty. "Sorry...I wasn't expecting that."

"You're doing fine," Marik insisted. "Did Osiris hit the bottom yet?"

Rajan shook his head slowly. "I don't know how deep he is. I think he slowed down because of me but...I'll be ok now."

Though he said that, he still felt the pressure, which seemed to increase by the second. By the time Osiris did reach the bottom, he felt sick and and light headed. The dragon acted quickly, scooping a mouthful of sand and rock in his lower mouth before making his way back tot he surface, letting water though his teeth to wash away most of the sand.

Rajan sagged against whoever was holding him up, relieved that some of the pressure was gone and focused on not passing out. He was vaguely aware of Marik offering to brave Osiris' mouth to search of the item. The person holding him up gave him a nudge from time to time to make certain that he didn't pass out and it took everything he had left in him to cling to consciousness. Everyone's voices seemed to run together until he could no longer distinguish one from the other.

"I got it!"

"The Millennium Ankh!"

"I'll go inform them they can return to their duties."

"I'll hold on to it."

"Hey. Rajan. Make sure Osiris is over the water before you pass out. Last thing we need it a bunch of shit falling on our boat."

Crimson eyes blinked opened, blearily seeking out the massive form of Osiris as the dragon's head moved away from the ship.

"Can I pass out now?" he asked, amazed at how tired he was. He vaguely wondered if he had spoken coherently and in Japanese but was too tired to care.

"Yeah."

With a sigh, Rajan felt Osiris return to him and his eyes fell closed, trusting the others to take care of him. "Thank you Bakura."

* * *

I caught him out of reflex.

I caught him because if he had hit the deck he would have been knocked out.

I held him up because we needed him to stay awake.

I held him up because...because I needed his Ka. Because if he had fallen and gotten knocked out...or if he had passed out...Osiris wouldn't have made it.

Bakura's eyes narrowed a bit as his thoughts continued turning in his head. 'And I'm helping to carry his dumb ass to bed because I still need him. That's all.'

"Bakura."

The thief glanced to Marik. They carried Rajan between them, one arm behind his back and grasping the other's shoulder, the other under his thighs and grabbing each other's wrists(2).

"What."

Marik didn't look to Bakura, staring in the direction they walked. "What's your Ka's name again? Diabound?"

"Hmph, so now you're going to be civil?" Bakura gritted his teeth a bit as he felt the hand on his wrist tighten painfully.

"Just answer the question."

"Che, yes. His name is Diabound," the thief tsked.

After a moment Marik asked: "You never communicated with him? Like Rajan did with Osiris?"

Bakura snorted, twisting his hand free of Marik's grasp to open the door to Rajan's room, the pair maneuvering to get the unconscious blond in bed. "No."

"Why not?" Marik looked at Bakura, a strange expression on his face.

Bakura narrowed his eyes, meeting the other's gaze for a moment before turning away. "Seems like the Ankh was the reason the ocean was so turbulent. Should be a smoother trip now. Rajan will probably be out for a good while." He stalked toward the door, eager to avoid anymore questions.

Alone in his room, he let the question turn over in his mind. He couldn't remember "speaking" with his Ka. Bakura would give commands and Diabound would comply. There had never been anything more to it than that as far as he could recall.

Shaking his head, the thief scrowled and pushed the questions out of his mind.

* * *

"He dodged the question?" Yugi asked, turning the Millennium Ankh in his hands thoughtfully.

"Outright," Malik confirmed. The pair still stood on the deck, enjoying the drastically calmer sea.

"What do you think it means?"

The Egyptian shrugged and then tilted his head slightly. "Marik thinks that Bakura doesn't know either."

"How are you...y-you know..." Yugi trailed off nervously.

"Marik and I have...a lot to discuss. He's not a bad person at heart but..." Malik shook his head a bit. "He's been through a lot, Yugi. He can't help it. He _will_ fly off the handle and he _will_ be violent. Maybe he'll get better, maybe he'll get worse. For now we'll just have to take things minute by minute."

Yugi nodded, trying to swallow the knot in his throat. "I think...I'm going to give the Ankh to Rajan to carry. When he wakes up of course."

Malik nodded absently, looking up at the dark sky. "Now that the ocean's calmed down, we'll probably get to America a lot faster...You wanna get something to eat?"

"Now that I might be able to keep it down? Sure," Yugi smiled.

* * *

AN: FINALLY OMG *throws confetti*

Ahem, anyway:

(1) In the Manga it was a regular, unheated blade. In the Japanese version of the anime it was a heated blade. In the 4-kids-ified version it was a tattoo. :p

(2) This method is often called the "seat carry" from what I read. Look it up :p

Hopefully thing will settle down after next week and I can get back on schedule with updating and stuff. I also have the next three days off so I'll try to get HtYnE updated. And I mean it this time! Honestly! *hides*

Oh and before I forget: the purpose of this chapter was mainly to show the connection a Ba (ie: Rajan) has with his Ka (ie: Osiris). I hope it made sense. Basically Rajan went into shock for the same reason people get motion sickness (in my mind anyway).

See, Rajan was standing on the deck of a ship that, while being rocked by the turbulent sea, was a firm surface beneath his feet where he was dry and not too cold. He wasn't under any more pressure that you might be feeling just sitting in your chair right now.

Osiris, on the other hand, was diving deep underwater (for all intents and purposes he was fully submerged in the water) where it is not only every wet, but the pressure increases the deeper you go underwater. He was also holding his breath (which is part of the reason why Rajan was having trouble breathing at first) and diving very quickly at first. (He's a SKY dragon, as he pointed out. Water isn't his element and he wanted to get whatever it was the mortals were flustered about and get back up to the sky where he belonged).

So basically Rajan's brain was completely out of wack because what he was feeling via Osiris and what he personally was feeling were out of sync. He'll be fine though. He has to at least _try_ to survive until the end of the story, right?

Anyway, if anyone out there wants to correct me then please do so. I was just making it up as I went along, as per usual. I hope it was at least interesting to read!


	12. 11: When You Call My Name

AN: Still not Hikari toYami noEnishi. I'm not promising anything anymore for I make a liar out of me. I will promise this though, I will finish every one of my stories. And I have all sorts of ideas for all of them! I just can't write that fast especially with the stuff that's going on in my life right now. (Not all of it is bad! Yes I have car issues and my job sucks, but I also have a guy that I'm talking to lots and things seem very very very positive :3)

Fear not, though. I did start writing the next chapter of HtYnE.

Random note, Rajan has a theme song. I just realized it today. Everytime I hear the song, I think of him. XD It's "Into the Wind" by Crush 40 (they did Sonic game music for the Adventure games and Heroes. I think all of it. Things like "Open Your Heart" and "Line and Learn". Give it a listen XD) I might be drawing a picture of him. Maybe I can get it right.

Anyway, hope you like this. It only took me 2 weeks to finish writing it ;_; I'll try to get another chapter of it up tonight or tomorrow and then update something else. Thank you for reading and I love all the reviews! They make me feel all warm and fuzzy :3

* * *

Bakura was more than happy to return to solid ground after nearly two weeks trapped at sea. It was all he could do to keep himself from falling to his knees and caressing it. Not much was said as they left the port until Yugi pointed out that Petri might still be in town as the ship he had been on was still docked.

"So he's somewhere in this city?" Rajan mused, looking around.

"He should be," Yugi nodded. "Finding him will be the hard part. This is a pretty large town. I think he said there were...five inns? I don't know where they are though."

"So we should split up and look for him," Marik insisted, trying to head off only to be restrained by Malik and Rishid.

"If we're going to split up, we have to do it right," Malik insisted. "Everyone can speak English, right?"

Yugi coughed a bit, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I think I remember a few phrases from high school..."

Bakura shrugged nonchalantly. "Nope. And I'm assuming Bast won't translate for me."

_"Of course I won't. You have four people here who can translate for you,"_ Bast replied cheerfully, earning an aggravated groan from the thief.

"Then Rajan, you go with Bakura," Malik said, jerking his thumb at the thief. "I think you're the only one who doesn't have a reason to hate him."

"F*** you, Malik," Bakura grumbled, though he knew it was more or less true.

"Fine with me," Rajan chuckled.

"Yugi go with Rishid and I'll go with Marik. I should be able to stay in contact with Bakura and Rishid using the Millennium Rod."

"That works," Yugi nodded. "Just remember not to call Gamer by his real name."

"Why did you look directly at me when you said that?" Marik growled, Malik sighing and grabbing his yami's arm.

"Good luck guys!" the blond hikari called back, dragging Marik along.

Rajan took the lead, easily asking for directions from the first reliable looking person they happened across. It didn't take long for Bakura to realize how frustrating it was going to be traveling in this country. He recalled Ryou taking English classes. He could even remember what the covers of those books had looked like. But had he paid it any attention? Of course not. Ryou handled all the school work and if Bakura had needed to know anything, he just picked through the teen's memories. Having to actually know the language hadn't seemed important.

And now he was in a country where English was the primary language.

Bakura tried to distract himself by looking around the city they were in. As was the trend, the streets were littered with debris, most of which seemed to have come buildings which included chucks of stone, brick, and/or metal and shattered glass. As they crossed an intersection, he noticed that one of the streets was blocked off by a partially collapsed building. He paused mid step when spotted several people working on clearing the road manually.

"Hmn?" Rajan glanced back, noticing what had caught the thief's attention. "Oh. That's pretty common. Fuel is hard to come by so a lot of work like that has to be done by hand or not at all."

"Then why bother at all? It doesn't change anything," Bakura tsked, turning away from the sight and pressing on in the direction they'd been walking. Rajan followed suit. "Don't they have better things to do? Like staying alive?"

""Everybody lives for something better to come"," Rajan replied with a small smile. "Or as Tom Bodett once said "a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world. Someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for." They work to clear the road because it is not only something to do, but in hopes that once it's been cleared, it can be used again. That's my opinion anyway."

"Che, whatever," Bakura shrugged. Still, he let Rajan's words roll around in his mind.

"You know...I was thoughtless on the trip here..." the blond started, snapping the thief out of his thoughts. "I didn't consider that you didn't know any English. Yugi too...I guess I was distracted with everything else that was going on. My memories of the past. Marik. Learning to control my energy so I could handle Osiris better. Still, I could have dedicated a little time to teaching the two of you at least a little conversational English if nothing else."

"It's not that important," Bakura tsked.

"You say that now, but who knows how long we'll be traveling in America. Not counting the detours we'll inevitably have to in our search, land travel across this country would take weeks. Not to mention that English is one of the dominate languages in the world. Just a suggestion..."Rajan trailed off nonchalantly.

"..."

_"He makes a good point, hmm?"_ Bast hummed in the thief's ear, making his cock his head slightly in the direction of her voice.

"...I'll think about it," he muttered noncommittally.

"Just let me know," Rajan smiled.

:Hey Kitty, Yugi and Rishid found him already. Can you find your way with the Ring?:

Bakura growled, stopping abruptly at hearing Malik's voice in his head. Grabbing the ring, he watched as it began to glow softly, three of the prongs lifting to point in different directions.

::We'll be there soon and stop calling me Kitty unless you want me to shove that Rod up your ass.::

:My my aren't _we_ suggestive today,: Malik teased, quickly breaking their connection before the string of more colorful threats could reach him.

* * *

"/With a mighty swing, the young hero brought his hammer down on Ganon's tail, momentarily weakening the beast. As Ganon dropped to one knee, Princess Zelda grabbed the Master sword and threw it to Link before the wall of flames could regain strength. She cried out to him "Hurry! Use the Master Sword!"/"

"What story is he telling?" Yugi asked Rishid as they found a free table.

"He mentioned a Princess named Zelda," Rishid replied.

"Ah, probably telling the Ocarina of Time then," Yugi chuckled to himself.

Rishid nodded though he himself was unfamiliar with the story. "I'll speak to the innkeeper and see about getting an "appointment" with Gamer."

"Good idea," the younger man nodded, taking a seat.

Yugi noticed a few people looking at him oddly and hid his left arm under the table, almost having forgotten he still wore his duel disk. He couldn't help but wonder if anyone here had been a duelist and if the stares were because of his duel disk, his hair, that he had spoken Japanese, or that the combination of all three singled him out as being none other than _the_ Yugi Mutou. It wasn't that he had a big ego about the tournaments he had won all those years ago but rather that being seen as the "King of Games" often got him in trouble.

"/Finally at the end of his long journey, the hero returned the sword to it's pedestal in the heart of the Temple of Time, returning to the past and to the childhood he had missed out on. Navi bid him farewell and took her leave, her job done. Alone, Link left the Temple of Time and stole into the Palace garden to find the young Princess Zelda./" Gamer smiled, hopping off the stool he had been perched on and twilling the staff he used for a cane before tapping the butt of it against the small stage he was on. "/And here is where the tale ends./" He paused while a few of the patrons applauded.

"/But what about the Princess and the hero?/" a young girl asked.

"/Now now, that's all there is to that story,/" the harper tsked with a grin. "/But I'm sure you can think of a better ending on your own to tell your friends, ne?/"

'He's spent too much time in Japan,' Yugi mused, looking up as he saw Malik and Marik arrive, the former urging the latter to sit. Marik begrudgingly complied, his eyes fixated on Gamer, his hands twitching a bit.

"Bakura and Rajan are on their way," Malik explained, taking a seat that strategically placed him between Marik and Gamer.

"/That was a long story though, right? So how about a song or two?/" the harper asked, still smiling. "/Let's see.../" He paused, feeling the innkeeper's hand on his shoulder. The man whispered something briefly and placed a glass of water in his hand. With a slight nod, he took a drink and reached back to set the glass on his stool as the other man took his leave. "/Just one song for now and then I'm going to take a short break./"

"Rishid must have been able to arrange something," Yugi observed, leaning on the table with his right elbow.

"I was wondering how they'd get his attention," Malik smirked slightly before looking to Marik. "You can't just walk up to a harper while they're preforming. People get pissed off when that happens. You have to talk to the innkeeper and usually they'll give them a signal of some sort."

"But in Gamer's case it has to be something more direct," Yugi nodded. "And something like giving him a glass of water isn't too out of the ordinary so no one would question it."

Marik grunted in reply but didn't look to either of them.

"Ah, Rishid says we should go to the side room and wait there. It would be less obvious to go now," Malik said, relaying the message he had received via the Millennium Rod.

"/I know a good song,/" Gamer was saying as the trio discretely began to make their way around the room.

"/I went to a party last Saturday night

I didn't get laid, I got in a fight.

Uh huh. It ain't no big thing.

Late for my job and the traffic was bad

Had to borrow ten bucks from Tavis' dad.

Uh huh. It ain't no big thing./(1)"

The innkeeper motioned to a door just behind the counter as they approached, eying them wearily.

"/There are two more coming as well,/" Malik said quietly.

"/So your brother said,/" the man replied curtly. "/Normally I wouldn't allow more than two at a time but Gamer agreed to meet with you./"

Malik nodded and followed after the others. Rishid stood waiting outside a door near the end of the hall, motioning them in.

"I'll keep an eye out for Bakura and Rajan," the taller Ishtar stated before taking his leave.

The room looked to be staff lounge. To the left of the door was a counter with a sink and coffee machine, both looking as though they hadn't seen much use recently. A refrigerator stood silently against at the end of the counter facing into the room and two couches rested in the adjacent corner, an obviously fake plant occupying the corner between them.

Yugi plopped onto the couch on the right closest to the tree while Malik took a seat on the far end of the other, watching as Marik took to pacing anxiously. It wasn't long before Rishid returned with Bakura and Rajan in tow, the thief making a face at his seating options as Rishid sat beside Malik and Rajan beside him. Finally he decided to just lean against the wall beside the sofa on the far wall, arms folded and eyes closed. Nothing needed to be said as they waited. They had already discussed this meeting on the ship.

All eyes locked onto the doorway as they heard someone approaching.

"/I'll keep it short. I know how they can get,/" Gamer said quietly.

"/Are you sure you'll be alright?/"

"/If not you'll be the first to know, ne?/" Before the innkeeper could reply, the harper stepped into the room, grinning brightly and tapping the butt of his staff on the floor. "/Hello friends! How can I be of service to you?/"

"I have no idea what you just said but I'm fairly certain you're hitting on me," Yugi spoke first, getting to his feet.

Gamer took a step back and then laughed, leaning on his staff. "/Oh f***!/ Yugi? Oh man! What are you doing here? You're a long way from...wait...how did you get here? You weren't on the ship..." he trailed off.

"It's a long story. The short version is that we need your help."

"Let's clear up that "we" thing first," Gamer said seriously, pointing toward the ceiling with on hand and drawing a few quick circles. "Who all is here? Jou, Honda, and Anzu?"

"Actually it's us again," Rajan spoke up, eying Marik, who had stopped pacing to stare at their reincarnated younger brother.

"Gah! Why didn't you guys talk to me back in Domino? It would have saved you a lot of trouble, though I must say your timing in finding me is pretty good. I was going to be leaving tomorrow," Gamer hummed, tapping his lips thoughtfully. "So there's Yugi, Rajan, Rishid, Malik, and Bakura...Who else is here? I was told there were six of you?"

"We found..._my_ brother in Domino," Rajan explained, still watching Marik.

"That's good then," Gamer nodded. "What's your name Rajan's brother. I tell people apart better if I hear them introduce themselves."

Marik hesitated for a moment until Malik gave him a light nudge on the back of the leg with his foot. "Rameses. My name is Rameses."

This time Gamer hesitated, rocking back slightly. "Rameses..." He shook his head slightly and smiled. "Well you don't get more Egyptian than that, huh? So Rameses and Rajan. Nice."

'What happened there?' Bakura asked, glancing sidelong to his right where he sensed Bast must be.

_"It will take more than just hearing Rameses' speak his name,"_ the goddess stated. _"And no, I cannot help with this."_

'Figures,' Bakura tsked.

"So what do you need my help for?" Gamer asked, reaching a hand toward Yugi and flexing his fingers as if trying to grab something. Yugi came within reach with a small laugh, taking the offered hand in his own in a reassuring way. "Must be important for you to come after me."

"Well," Yugi cleared his throat a bit. "We may have a way to defeat Zorc."

"...I'm listening..."

"The less-crazy sounding version is that there are seven items that we need to gather, which with have four and...and pieces of the fifth. We also need eight specific people in order to succeed. It'll be dangerous and there's no telling how long it will take. And in the end we'll have to confront Zorc himself. But if we can get that far, we'll have a good chance to beat him."

"You're leaving out some big details aren't you?" Gamer asked, taking his hand back and covering his mouth in thought.

"You wouldn't believe me right now," Yugi smiled. "But-"

"Stop." Gamer shook his head. "First, however crazy it is, I want to hear the whole story. And I'll offer what help I can, but the bottom line is that you need me to come with you. Is that what you're getting at?"

"You're one of the eight we need," Rajan said, slowly getting to his feet. "You have-" he stopped with the other shook his head sharply and pointed in his direction.

"No."

"What?"

"No," Gamer repeated, retracting his arm and placing his hand flat on his chest. "It's dangerous enough for me to travel by myself. I'm a harper. We attract shadow creatures like moths to a flame. If you're going up against Zorc, you'd do best to keep under the radar and look for one of the groups that's actively trying to fight him. I'd only slow you down."

"We need you specifically, Gamer," Rishid spoke, leaving his seat as well and taking a step closer. "There is a power that you have that no other possesses. Without it, we cannot win."

"As unlikely as that sounds..." Gamer breath a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "The only power I have is to help people forget their problems for a few minutes with songs and happy stories about heroes and the power of friendship and love and what not. I gather news as I travel so that someone might learn something useful down the road. Other than that, I'm just a blind kid who used to play Duel Monsters and wanted to be a professional duelist or an actor some day. There's not really anything special about me."

"That's not true!" Marik insisted suddenly, coming closer and reaching out to grab Gamer's shoulders. "You're-"

"Don't touch!" the harper snapped, taking a step back to dodge the yami's hands and looking flustered for a moment. "S-sorry...I don't like being grabbed. Look...I have to go for now...when I'm done we can talk again but I can't go with you. You can stay in here and rest or come back out. Tell the innkeeper you're on my tab and he'll give you something to eat and drink." He quickly turned to leave, suddenly feeling suffocated by the others.

"/Petri wait!/" Marik shouted in Arabic.

"Marik!" Rajan snapped, shooting the spike-haired blond a stern glare.

Gamer froze mid step, a shudder running down his spine.

"/He needs to come though!/"

"/That's not the point! You can't call him by his name like that! We told you,/" Rajan hissed.

"/Hikari said I could try at least! He doesn't even remember that-/" Marik began arguing back.

"/Stop it!/" Gamer cut him off, pointing at Marik. "Look Marik or Rameses, whatever your name is...that...I don't know how you know my name, but...no alright? Just...no. Look...no forget it, I'll talk to you later," he managed to say before fleeing.

"I'll try to talk to him," Yugi sighed, hurrying after him.

"For the love of Ra..." Rajan grumbled, looking between Marik and Malik. Bakura smiled, content to watch and happy that he wasn't the center of attention for the moment.

* * *

Yugi found Gamer at the end of the hall, leaning against the wall with his right hand, his left gripping his staff tightly. He was panting and trying to catch his breath, looking as though he'd run a marathon.

"You told them, right?" the harper asked before Yugi could get his attention. "You told them my name. It's fine if you did. I won't be mad. You told them and that's how he knew my name, right?"

Yugi shook his head needlessly. "They knew your name and what you looked like. I just them where to find you."

Gamer whined, tipping his head back and trying to compose himself. "I don't know him...I know I don't know him. How did a man from Egypt know my name?"

Yugi bit his lip before deciding to take a risk."He's related to you."

Gamer shook his head slowly. "I...can't disagree. I was little when we moved to the states. I don't remember any relatives and as far as I know I have none living...maybe he is...maybe that's why..."

"Why?" Yugi pressed.

"I know I don't know him...but..." he took his hand from the wall and tapped his chest with the side of his fist. "I feel...something, you know? Like...we met a long time ago or were brothers in a past life..." he trailed off, laughing softly. "Ah but that's silly..."

"Maybe it's true?" Yugi suggested. 'Come on Petri...'

"Ah, who knows, ne?" Thinking like that does sort of put my mind at ease. I'll think about it some more while I'm doing my thing. Thanks for coming after me, Yugi."

"Yeah, no problem Gamer," Yugi smiled. 'Damn it.' "I'll go talk to the others and we'll meet up with you in a bit."

* * *

"We still have a chance to talk to him," Rajan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And from what Yugi told us, maybe it wasn't a terrible idea to call him by name."

Marik stuck his tongue out childishly while Rishid nodded. Bakura had taken over one of the couches while the others had been talking and stretched out on it, his arms behind his head. Yugi and Malik had gone to get them food and drink.

"So we talk to him some more and get him to at least come with us," the thief yawned. "Then we get a move on it. The sooner we get everything together, the sooner we get this over with.

_"It won't be so easy as that..."_ Bast trailed off ominously. _"Something's coming this way..."_

Bakura groaned, sitting up and drawing in a breath.

"What was that?" Rajan asked, suddenly on his feet and looking around anxiously.

"Something of Zorc's," Marik growled. The thief let go of the breath, looking between the brothers.

'Ok, how did they know? I didn't feel anything.'

_"They have their Ka spirits to warn them,"_ Bast hummed. _"Be ready."_

"How long do we-" Rajan started. A loud buzzer sounded from down the hall and voices were shouting.

"Let's go," Rishid ordered, hurrying out the door.

* * *

AN: I think enough has happened in this chapter. I was going to keep going until after the next part but I thought "this is long enough". I also thought "the readers will not be pleased by this cliff hanger. I should keep writing..." XD

You may have noticed that Gamer/Petri says "ne" at the end of some sentences. "Ne" is pretty much like saying "right". So, for example, "Ah, who knows, ne?" would be the same as "Ah, who knows, right?" I know a few people that throw in Japanese with their English. Like saying "kawaii" when something's cute. It's an otaku thing XD. I'll even something say "Nani?" instead of asking "What?" when talking to my roommate.

Besides, Petri is cute. He needs cute quirks. :p

...I'll get back to writing now :x

(1) The song is "Kiss Me Deadly" by Reel Big Fish (They covered the song, it was originally preformed by Lita Ford)


	13. 12: Remember Me

AN: Before I start, let me say the following:

**THE AUTHOR DOES NOT CONDONE NOR SUPPORT UNDERAGED DRINKING.**

You'll see why in a minute. Just throwing it out there.

Five reviews away from 100! Wow! Awesome! :D I'm glad so many of you like the story so far! I will work hard to keep up the pace (while trying to finish other stories so I don't get mauled XD). I'm sorry my story is like a drug to some of you, but I hope it's high quality stuff at least. Don't want any of you to have a bad trip.

...Maybe I should add that the author doesn't condone illegal drug use either...

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I hate writing fight scenes. I don't know why I do this to myself...

Oh and apparently fanfiction(dot)net has changed up their formatting a bit so some of the things I was doing to break up scenes don't work anymore. I need to try and find them in my other stories and fix them too. What a pain...

* * *

"/You alright?/"

Gamer looked toward the voice of the innkeeper's voice. "/Hmn, sort of.../"

"/What did they tell you?/" the man pressed cautiously.

The teen shook his head. "/I can't say. At least not until I have more information. I'm going to talk to them later./"

"/Well if you're going back up, drink this first,/" the older man tsked, filling a small glass with a peach flavored alcohol and nudged it against the teen's hand(1). "/You need to loosen up a bit./"

Gamer smiled a bit, taking the glass and raising it slightly toward the innkeeper before taking a sip. "/Thanks./"

"/Sit down for a minute before you go running up on stage. You look like you've seen Zorc's wang.(2)/"

Gamer choked on his drink and snickered a bit. "/Thank god I can't./" He swept the floor with the end of his staff until he came in contact with his pack, which he had left behind the counter for safe keeping. He shuffled forward until he found the chair beside it and plopped down.

'Could I know them? Could they really be relatives?' he wondered, sipping his drink. He remembered a dream he had had a few times before, even once on his recent trip. He was young and alone in a large forest or park, he could never tell. Scared, he was running, looking for someone. A tall figure cloaked in shadows suddenly blocked his path, pointing a spear at him. Just when he thought he was going to be killed, someone grabbed him and pulled him back, their arms holding him protectively. All he ever saw of the boy that grabbed him were bright, red eyes.

But they were still in danger, the shadow creeping towards them. That was when another boy appeared, older and stronger, his hair a mess of blond that seemed to defy gravity and his arms held apart, shielding both himself and the other boy.

It always ended there, a story half-finished. And he always awoke both frustrated that he didn't know who those other boys were but also with a feeling of security that they loved him and wanted to protect him, which would only frustrate him further.

'Did we know each other back in Cairo? Were we playmates? Cousins? Broth...no, I don't have any siblings...Or do I?' He groaned softly, biting his lip. 'Why do I feel like this? Not just Rameses, but Rajan...But I don't even know what they look like...I'll have to ask later. Maybe that will help...'

"Gamer?"

Gamer looked toward the questioning voice. "Hey Yugi."

"I thought you were going to preform some more" Malik said.

"/Ah yeah, I'm going back up, but the innkeeper thought I'd be more entertaining drunk,/" Gamer replied, smiling and holding up his glass. He was grateful with he heard Malik translate for Yugi.

"/If you get drunk off of that, I'm kicking you out,/" the older man shot back playfully.

"/I'd be embarrassed enough if I couldn't hold this thimble full you gave me. You're so stingy!/" the harper laughed, getting to his feet and draining the rest of his glass. "/Thanks. I'll get back to work now./ I'll talk to you guys later," he added, nodding toward Yugi and Malik.

Gamer made his way back up to the stage and faced the crowd, his free hand retrieving his favorite instrument from his pouch at his hip: a replica of the Ocarina of Time from Legend of Zelda. He had just found the stool he had been using earlier when he stopped, head tipping back slightly. He quickly dropped the instrument back into it's pouch and brought his thumb and forefinger to his mouth, whistling sharply.

"/Alright folks, listen up! There's a shadow creature coming!/"

The innkeeper pressed a buzzer hidden under his counter to confirm what Gamer was saying.

"/We ask that you take your leave now in a calm, orderly fashion! You can go out the front doors or out the door to my right. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!(3)/"

"What's going on?" Yugi asked, looking to Malik.

"A shadow creature," the blond quickly explained.

"/Kid, your friend doesn't speak English, right?/" the innkeeper asked, shooting them a stern look. "/Grab him and get the hell out of here. Don't wait for your friends, they've heard the buzzer by now. Go./" Without another word, the man hurried to the stage to help Gamer. He had only just stepped onto it when there were screams and shouts of fear from the entrace.

Malik grabbed Yugi and pulled him along, not making it far before there was a loud screech and the door at the entrace was torn from it's hinges and hurtled into the main room, striking a man who had been trying to get out of the way. The Egyptian changed course and pulled Yugi behind the counter, telling him to get down out of sight.

Bakura and the others reached the end of the hall, the thief pulling his robe close as the Millennium Ring flashed to hide the glow and pressed himself against the wall near the door, motioning for the others to do the same. Marik took the spot across from the thief, lavender eyes frantically scanning the room beyond for any sign of Gamer.

:He's behind the stage with the innkeeper,: Malik reassured through there mind link, though his words did little to ease the yami.

"/I think you all know what we're here for,/" a voice boomed. A man strode into the main room clad in black jeans and a long sleeved black shirt. The air seemed to shimmer beside him though nothing was visible. "/Where is the harper?/"

Gamer gulped, sliding down a bit lower and tightening his grip on his staff. This was certainly not the first time he'd been found, but he had always been able to escape before Zorc's minions arrived. He swore at himself mentally realizing that he had been too slow to realize the impending danger.

'And now all these people are stuck here...shit...'

"/That's fine. You don't have to tell us,/" the man smirked, running a hand through his black hair. "/My friend here will find them, though.../" he chuckled, eyes skimming over the room. "/If you don't tell us, you'll all die./"

"What'd he say?" Bakura grumbled.

"If no one tells him where Pe-Gamer is, he'll just kill everyone," Rajan translated, trying to peak out past the thief.

"He's behind the stage. Hikari told me so," Marik growled out softly.

"Che, what a pain," Bakura sighed. "We have to find a way to grab him and get out of here."

"What about everyone else?" Rajan asked, shooting him a glare. A woman screamed and they looked to see that she was pinned to the ground by the creature that had been beside the man. It was still little more than a distortion in the air, though it's claws could be seen digging into her shoulder.

"The only one we _need_ to rescue is your brother. It's not like we can fight that thing in here anyhow. What, are you going to summon Osiris in here?" the thief tsked. Even as he said it, however, he felt something for the woman who was begging for her life. He wasn't sure what it could be, however, and it irritated him further trying to define it.

"/My, what a pretty voice,/" the man smirked, looking down at the creature's prey. "/I wonder if you are the harper, hmm?/" He chuckled, making a small gesture. "/Kill her./"

Gamer drew in a deep breath to calm himself. "/Get as many people out of here as you can./"

"/What?/" The innkeeper asked. Before he could move, the harper was on his feet and back up on the stage. The end of his staff met the floor with a sharp crack and he let his ind go blank.

'This is how it has to be. It was going to happen sooner of later. At least I'll go out on a song, ne?'

"/It doesn't matter what happens

I will never give up the fight!/"

"What is that idiot doing?" Bakura hissed.

"/There you are. Shadow Ghoul,/" the man grinned, pointing at Gamer. The creature quickly left the woman, lunging for the source of the singing.

"/There is no way I will run away from all of my frights,/" Gamer continued, holding his arms out to his sides.

Marik suddenly rushed through the door, Rajan following after him a heartbeat later. As he ran, the blond yami passed back Malik, the hikari passing him the Millennium Rod.

"What are you doing?" Yugi demanded, watching the two brothers continue toward the stage.

"Trusting him. Come on, let's try to get some of these people out of here," the blond insisted, crawling toward the woman who had been injured.

"/As long as the voice inside me says go I will always keep on running!

There is no way to stop me from going to the very top.

It doesn't matter who is wrong or who i-aah!/" Gamer was cut off as he was tackled to the ground, caught in a familiar embrace.

Marik held the Millennium Rod before him, the item glowing brilliantly and a burst of energy knocking the shadow creature back several feet. The image of an eye glowed on his forehead and he growled menacingly.

"Try it again you f***ing piece of shit! You will _not_ hurt him!"

"Interesting. I know a little /Japanese/ too," the man in black chuckled. "/Shadow Ghoul/ kill him."

Gamer was a little disoriented as he was hauled to his feet by the one who had tackled him.

"Come on, we have to go," Rajan insisted, half-dragging the harper along.

Gamer wasn't certain what was going on. All he knew is that Marik seemed determined to protect him and confident in his ability to do so. He allowed himself to be led for a moment but suddenly stopped, jerking Rajan to a halt.

"Are you people insane! You can't fight those things! It'll rip him to shreds!"

"If anyone can at least hold it off, it's Rameses," Rajan insisted, grasping Gamer's hand tightly and lowering his voice and switching to Arabic. "/You have to trust us, Petri. Please./"

The harper was silent for a moment and Rajan was afraid he had said the wrong thing until he felt the held he was holding tighten around his own.

"I do...I don't know why but I do. But I need you to trust me too. Where are the others?"

Rajan felt a wave of relief at those words but focused on the task at hand. "Yugi, Malik, and Rishid are trying to get people out of harm's way. I don't see where Bakura got to."

"Take me over to the bar," Gamer insisted. "I have a suicidal idea, but it might give the others a chance to get out."

* * *

Marik barely dodged the creature's claws, unsheathing the blade hidden in the Millennium Rod and bringing it up, managing only to graze the clawed appendage before it melted into the shadows.

"Too slow," the man in black laughed. The yami barely had time to turn around and deflect the incoming attack. A burst of energy struck the creature from the side suddenly, sending it flying into a wall.

"What a pain," Bakura grumbled, the Millennium Ring glowing brightly. "What's taking you so long?"

"/Interesting./ Two of you now. Matter not it does. Shadow Ghoul will finish you together!"

"Your Japanese sucks," Bakura tsked, holding the Ring in one hand. 'Don't suppose you want to help, Bast.'

_"...If I do, Zorc will know I'm here,"_ she replied.

Shadow Ghoul got back to it's feet, vanishing into the shadows. Bakura moved closer to Marik, violet eyes scanning the darkness. One of the prongs on the millennium Ring moved suddenly and he sent of burst of energy in the indicated direction. The attack missed and he found himself suddenly face to face with the creature.

"Move!" Marik barked, shoving him aside and blasting the creature with the Millennium Rod.

"We can't beat it like this," Bakura grumbled, using the Ring to try and track their enemy's movement. "We have to try and hit it together."

"/Have you met Toad? He's Princess Peach's P.A.!

Just between us, I think he's definitely gay!/"

Both yamis looked toward the bar to see Gamer standing atop it, gesturing with his hands as he sang.

"What is Ra's name is he doing!" Bakura snapped.

"/You may not agree,

But listen close and you'll see,

He's very likely to be

A big gay,/"

Gamer continued singing, smiling brightly. The Shadow Ghoul screeched, ignoring Bakura and Marik in favor of attacking the harper. Marik lunged, trying desperately to get between the creature and his youngest brother.

"/He shops for shoes like Aretha Franklin in a big hat store  
He's a Judy idolizer, with facial moisturizer galore~,/"

The creature's claws were a mere foot away when Rajan struck, thrusting the staff upward as the harper danced out of the way.

"/Gay gay gay gay gay,/"

Marik arrived a second later, landing on the creature's back and blasting it with a burst of energy. Meanwhile, Rishid, Malik, and Yugi quickly ushered those still inside toward the exit in the back.

_"/_He loves ballet

And he owns the Golden Girls on DVD  
He went to seminary  
Link says hes a fairy for sure/" Gamer cupped a hand near his mouth and leaned forward slightly, nodding. "/And Link knows his fairies./"

Bakura blasted the creature, careful not to hit Marik, who was still on it's back and stabbing it with the Millennium Rod. Rajan stood between it and Gamer, staff still in his hands and ready to deflect attacks.

"/What is this bullshit?/" The man in black snarled, drawing a dagger and deciding to go after the harper himself.

Shadow Ghoul reared back suddenly, throwing off Marik, who swore in a mix of languages as he crashed down on a table. With a screech it lunged at Rajan on it's way to Gamer, who continued singing, seemingly unaware of the danger.

"/On the other hand, he may just be metro  
Plenty of guys are goin' that way, today-ay  
And if he's gay, we still would like  
Would like  
Him an-y way!/"

Bakura moved instantly, placing himself before Rajan and raising a hand, hoping to fire a blast before Shadow Ghoul reached him.

_"Not fast enough,"_ Bast stated. The bell on Bakura's collar chimed, silver light stretching out to form a shield, keeping Shadow Ghoul at bay for a moment longer. "_Now!"_

Bakura let loose a burst of shadow energy, Marik managing to do the same from behind. Screeching, the creature stumbled a bit before collapsing to the ground, it's body slowly dissolving into the shadows.

"/That's my friend Toad,  
So yeah he's definitely gay  
It's not his fault, they cultivated him that way  
He says that hes bi, we're pretty sure its a liiiie./"

"/Silence hethen!/" the man in black shouted, raising his dagger.

"Shit!" Rajan snapped, turning to attack.

"Don't move!" Rishid shouted. A loud bang resounded through the room, a bullet striking the man in the arm. Rajan stumbled back, startled by how close the projectile had been to hitting him instead.

The man cried out, dropping his weapon and clutching his upper arm. Petri moved quickly, swinging his foot in the direction of the voice and catching him on the chin, knocking him back against the wall.

"/But either way a fungi, who says "hay!"/(4)" he sang, less enthusiastically than he been a moment before. "Did I get him?"

"Nice kick," Malik commented, he and Yugi approaching the bar. Rishid trailed behind them, returning his fire arm to it's concealed holster.

"Had that the whole time, haven't you?" Bakura tsked, the glow fading from the Millennium Ring.

"I don't have any spare ammunition," the taller Egyptian stated, moving around to the wounded would-be attacker.

"Hikari, take it," Marik said, returning to Rod to Malik, the glow fading from both the item and his forehead.

"So what now?" Yugi asked.

"Now we see what our new friend has to say," Bakura smirked.

* * *

Bakura stood with his arms folded over his chest, irritated once more by this foreign language. His only consolation was that Yugi was struggling as well, but even the former king of games at least understood a little. There were a handful of words that the thief had heard before, but they were jumbled in a sea of nonsense.

Suddenly the thought of accepting Rajan's offer to be taught English seemed vitally important.

_"You're not missing out on anything,"_ Bast informed him. _"He's refusing to say anything more than how powerful and magnificent Zorc is and his word is the only law. "You cannot win, foolish mortals, for Zorc will find you! You will drown in your own blood! He will devour your souls!" and so on,"_ she sighed.

"Malik, use the Rod and get him to talk already," Bakura tsked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

""Use the Rod"? What does that mean?" Gamer asked.

"It's complicated," Malik, sighed, drawing the item and holding it out toward the man.

"The Millennium Rod can do many things," Marik explained. "One thing is it can let you take over someone's mind and-"

"Marik," Rajan sighed, covering his face with one hand.

"-make them do what you want," the blond yami continued. "Each of the Millennium-"

"He's not going to get it," the crimson eyed blond tried to cut him off.

"-Item has a unique power and how do you know he won't get it, Rajan?" Marik asked, a hint of anger lacing the question.

"The world is being run by an ancient evil god-thing," Gamer pointed out, patting Rajan's shoulder. "I'm pretty open minded these-"

"/Stop! Stop it! **Get out of my head**!/" the man shouted, shaking his head and thrashing, trying to leave the chair he'd been tied to. Rishid held the back of it firmly with one hand, trying to hold him still with the other.

"/Tell us where Zorc is now,/" the taller Egyptian growled. "/Tell us and he will stop./"

"/F*** **you**! I-I-I wo-won't tell yo-you heathens anything!/"

'Why is this guy with Zorc anyway?' Bakura asked Bast, shifting his weight back to his other foot. 'Why would...'

_"Why would anyone willingly ally themselves with Zorc Necrophades? Is that what you were-"_

'Just answer me,' Bakura grumbled.

_"In this day and age, life is hard. It is a constant struggle to just stay alive, one that many fail to do. Not just failing because of starvation, isolation, or violence, but because they are overwhelmed and leave by their own choice. There are only two other options: Live and hope for a better tomorrow or submit yourself to Zorc's will and do his bidding. The first is hard and you only have hope to cling to. The second is easy but you have to surrender hope and succumb to the shadows. It is essentially the same as killing yourself...living a life completely dedicated to the darkness. It kills you from the inside out."_ Bast sighed and Bakura swore he felt her hands on his shoulders. _"Hope is a powerful thing that can make miracles happen. I'll leave it at that for now."_

Marik slammed a fist on the table, fracturing it's surface in the process. "/Answer me this then, why were you trying to kill Gamer? What's the real reason?/" he growled.

Bakura tilted his head, hearing Bast translate for him and mildly pissed that she hadn't been doing so before.

"/The reason?/" the man chuckled, still fighting to keep Malik out of his thoughts.

"It's because I-," Gamer began, but was cut off.

"/I'll tell you that much. It is because Zorc wills it. He told us to find the blind harper and kill him./" He looked up at the harper in question, glaring at him. "/Zorc wants you dead more than any other harper. You should be honored, boy./"

Gamer suddenly swung his staff, the end of it stopping before the man's face. "/Why?/"

"/I don't question Zorc's will, I-OW!/" the man yelped, the staff smacking him on the head. "/You little shi-Ah!/" this time he was cut off as Marik grabbed the front of his shirt, hauling him and the chari up off the floor.

"/Why does he want him dead?/"

"/Or what? You'll kill me?/" the man laughed, verging on hysterics. "/Go ahead! I'll gladly die for my god!/"

"Put him down Marik," Malik snapped, grabbing the yami's elbow tightly. "He's not worth it."

Marik snarled, trembling with rage before complying, throwing the chair back to the ground. Rishid managed to keep it from toppling over.

"He wants me dead..." Gamer muttered, covering his mouth. "I didn't even realize..."

"You're not going to quit are you?" Yugi asked.

"What, stop being a harper? I couldn't," the harper shook his head, leaning on his staff. "Nope. It's sort of like West Side Story. "When you're a bard you're a bard all the way, from your first thousand steps to your last dyin' day." Well, something like that," he said, smiling.

"Bard?" Bakura asked, raising a brow.

"Bard. Harper. Same difference," Gamer laughed. "/Tell Zorc I told him to catch me if he can./ I've got to get my bag and get out of town."

"You should come with us," Malik insisted. "There's safety in numbers!"

"We do need you, Gamer," Rishid point out, covering their prisoner's ears. "You-"

"Have a power that you need to beat Zorc," Gamer finished, waving a hand dismissively. "You said that before too. I have the devil's luck maybe, but that's all. Besides, it's dangerous to be around me. You beat that thing this time, but what about next time? It's too dangerous and I won't let you get yourselves killed because of me. My answer is still no. I'm..." he trailed off a moment, his smile dropping as he seemed to consider something.

'I want to go with them...I want to know why Rameses and Rajan are so familiar to me...what they look like...' He shook his head. 'It's better...if I don't know...'

"I have to go. You should do the same..." Gamer sighed solemnly. "It was nice meeting all of you. Take care of Yugi for me. He's like family to me..." he added before walking away.

"Shit, what do we do?" Malik asked quietly.

"Perhaps we can talk to him again before he leaves?" Rishid suggested. "He still doesn't know why we need him."

"Maybe Rajan could summon Osiris outside," Bakura suggested and then smacked himself on the forehead. "Forget I said that."

"How did you forget he was blind, kitty?" Malik smirked.

Rajan met Marik's gaze and nodded. He knew what the other wanted to do. Had likely wanted to do since arriving in the inn.

"Malik I swear," the thief growled. He looked up as he saw Marik chasing after Gamer. "What the f*** is he doing?"

Malik whirled around, eyes wide. "Marik!"

"It's fine," Rajan stated. "Let him try it his way."

Gamer had just reached the bar when he heard Marik behind him, but it was too late. Strong arms wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his sides and crushing him back against the yami's chest in a tight embrace. His staff slipped from his grip, clattering as it hit the floor.

"/You have to remember us, Petri,/" Marik began in Arabic. "/You _have_ to. We're brothers! You...you and Rajan...are...are all I have please remember.../" he whimpered, hiding his face in the other's hair.

'Is he...crying? Rameses is...crying?' Gamer wondered.

* * *

**flashback**

"Rameses?" Petri asked, shyly moving toward his older brother. "Rameses...?"

The older teen looked up, amber colored eyes puffy and red from crying. It was such an alien sight to Petri, he found himself staring in disbelief. Rameses never cried. It was a law of the universe to the younger sibling. Rameses was strong, proud, sometimes a little defiant, and mostly reckless and carefree.

"Petri..." even his voice sounded all wrong to Petri. It was strained and choked. "H-he's dead..."

It had been hard to hear that their father had died, but it affected Rameses as much as their mother. However, their mother was being consoled by Rajan and their little sisters, Zahira and Aasera while Rameses had gone to a spot near the Nile to mourn alone. It was a place only the three brothers ever seemed to occupy.

After several moments of shock, Petri realized that he had started crying again and rubbed his eyes, forcing the tears back for the time being. He went to his brother and hugged him tightly.

"I know. But...we're not. And he doesn't want to be watching us cry about it from the afterlife, right? So we have to go on without him. That's what he'd want us to do."

Rameses clung to him, letting himself sob openly. Petri closed his eyes, holding him and letting him cry as long as he needed to. It was what Rameses had always done for him after all.

* * *

"Come on, Petri, I didn't hit you that hard," Rajan sighed, shaking his head.

"You're going to be late for school Rajan," Rameses pointed out. "I'll deal with him."

"What a pain," Rajan sighed. "Yeah, I'd better go. I'll see you at lunch."

Rameses waited until Rajan was out of sigh before kneeling down and hugging Petri against his chest.

"Let me see," he insisted, grabbing your brother's chin and turning his face toward him. "Where did he hit you?"

"R-r-right here," the young boy whimpered, pointing to his left tear-stained cheek.

"Hmm...I don't see it," Rameses mused, moving a hand to touch the spot.

"No! D-don't! It-it'll hurt!" Petri whimpered, trying to get loose. He flinched when the hand touched skin and whimpered.

"Does it hurt that badly? I don't even see a bruise. Geez, Pete, you need need to grown up more before I can teach you how to fight," the older boy sighed.

"I am grown up," Petri insisted, sniffling. "I-I..."

"I'm just kidding," Rameses smiled. "I'll keep teaching you as long as you want to learn. Finish crying first though. You'll feel better."

Petri whimpered, his lower lip wobbling a bit before he buried his face against his brother's chest and cried, the other boy petting his hair.

"You'll be alright, Petri. You're stronger than you think."

**end flashback**

* * *

Petri squirmed out of Marik's hold, turning to face him and bring his hands up to grab the other's face, his fingers exploring the curves and trying to create an image in his mind. He smiled his memories of the pasted filled in the blanks for him, reaching further to feel the other's hair.

"Geez, Rameses...did you're hair get spikier since we last met," he asked, grinning. "You could put an eye out with those things!"

"Petri!" the yami cheered, hugging him again.

"Gah put me down! I'm not a sack of potatoes!"

Rajan smiled, hurrying over to hug his brother as well.

"Thank god that worked out," Yugi smiled.

The moment was shattered as the man in black began screaming in pain. Rishid jumped back, startled as blood began pouring from the man's ears, nose,, eyes, and mouth. It was over as suddenly as it occurred, the man slumping forward, lifeless.

"What the f***!" Bakura demanded.

_"Zorc."_ Bast replied.

* * *

"Ah Bast, you just couldn't keep your nose out of my domain could you? The mortals have a saying you know. Curiosity killed the cat." Zorc laughed, leaning back in his throne. "So you've got that thief working for you and you're trying to stop me? How...quaint. But now I know where you are and you've gathered nearly all those you need. You make this too easy." The shadows stirred around him and took various shapes. "Go and stop them. Best to stop them now before they find the thief's former host. Perhaps I should move him again..."

* * *

AN: Finally D: PS I hate fight scenes. I should stick to writing peaceful scenarios that don't have any action in them at all.

Oh wait, that's no fun...

Now to try and work on something else that isn't SideQuest, fail, and end up working on SideQuest again XD

So Zorc knows where they are and what they're up to, but Petri remembers who he is, hence why from this chapter on I will refer to him as Petri instead of Gamer. Other people will still call him Gamer though. It is his nickname. XD Oh but he's still blind. That won't change. :p

Let's see let's see...

(1)** THE AUTHOR DOES NOT CONDONE NOR SUPPORT UNDERAGED DRINKING.**

If you are under the age of 21, you are not of drinking age...in America. That being said, according to wikipedia, the legal drinking age in other countries varies greatly and in some countries it is outright illegal.

But Petri's in the US of A and it's normally illegal for him to drink because he is only 17. But this is a fictional story of a post apocalyptic (sort of) earth. Laws are a lot more flexible. But seriously, be responsible. And if you are greater-than-equal-to 21, drink responsibly.

This has been a message from ... me. :3 (PS I'm not your mom.)

(2) Oh you silly Americans! Zorc could destroy you without trying and you pick on his dragon-like appendage. Oh ho ho.

(3) Yeah. Yeah that is from "Closing Time" by Semisonic. Enjoy XD

(4) And that little ditty about Toad being gay is a song by Brentalfloss. Look him up on youtube and/or buy his CD "What If This CD Had Lyrics" if you haven't already.

Alright. 13 pages. Over 5000 words. I think I'm done for now. Don't forget that I'm 5 reviews away from 100 for this story. Which is amazing because it's still just getting started XD Just press that link down there and contribute if you have a minute. I'd love to hear what you think! (and if you don't, that's ok. I hope you enjoy!)


	14. 13:Cover For Me

AN: I started this chapter weeks ago and just kept putting off updating it. Why? I dunno. I blame work, stress, and my boyfriend because he wants to talk to me constantly and I can't write when people are talking to me XD (also he bought me a WoW card so I have access to that crack again after 7 months).

I hope to have another chapter of this or LionNapped finished by the end of the day. Both if I can stay focused! Wish me luck!

Hopefully this chapter makes sense but please ask questions or point out mistakes!

Thank you for your patience! I will promise you this at least: in the time I haven't been updating, I have been thinking ahead and I did change something in the non-yaoi version that I hope you non-yaoi fans will like!

* * *

Bakura sat bolt-right up, one hand instantly grasping the Millennium Ring. It took him several moments to remember where he was.

After leaving the inn, they had only traveled roughly two hours north before setting up camp for the night in the middle of a large field. Both Marik and himself had been too exhausted from their earlier fight to continue and they needed to decide on where exactly they were headed. Petri had suggested they continue north, promising some mode of transportation and insisting that he needed to make a stop somewhere called Sacramento before they could leave this "California" place.

He looked around warily before looking at the Ring.

"Bast?"

_"There's no danger,"_ the goddess replied. _"You were dreaming."_

Bakura sighed and closed his eyes. 'A dream...I swear I felt...'

"Something wrong Baku?" Marik asked cheerfully, startling the thief, though he tried to mask it with annoyance.

""Baku"? What the f***?" he griped as the other yami plopped on the ground beside him. All he received in response was an inquisitive stare and sighed, releasing his hold on the Millennium Ring. He leaned back, propping himself up on his hands. "Just a dream."

"Abooout?" Marik pressed, grabbing his ankles and leaning forward in a childish manner.

Bakura bit back the urge to snap at the other man, not really wishing to rile him up when both Rajan and Malik were sleeping. "Just a weird dream. I didn't really see anything, but I felt like there was something grabbing me. Gave me a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach too..." The thief shook his head. "But it was nothing."

"Or it was something..." Marik muttered ominously.

Bakura eyed the other yami for a moment, noticing that he seemed to be staring off into space. Irritated, he waved his hand before Marik's eyes. "Something what?"

The blond stared at him for a moment before bringing up a finger to tap on the side of his head. "You know how you used to be linked to your hikari?"

Bakura raised a brow, considering what Marik was saying. "Ryou and I were sharing a body at the time if that's what you're getting at. Unless you're trying to tell me that you and Malik-"

"Before I saw him again," Marik interrupted, scooting closer to the thief and lowering his voice. "I had dreams. I don't remember what they were about but I remember having them. And he had dreams too. Even though we have our own bodies, we're still connected and could sometimes feel what the other was feeling." He sat back, smiling brightly. "We're just connected better now. Since that day on the boat."

Bakura tsked, closing his eyes and scratching the back of his head. "So you're trying to tell me that what I felt in my dream is what Ryou was feeling at that moment?"

"Maaaaybe, who knows?" Marik hummed.

"Or maybe it was just a dream," the thief shrugged.

Marik's smile vanished and he leaned even closer, nearly nose to nose with him. "_Or_ maybe I'm right and you should listen to me. Your hikar-"

"Why do you call them that?" Bakura snapped, cutting him off. "In fact that seems to be what everyone says. Hikaris and yamis. Yes Bast said we're apparently "imbued with light and shadow" or whatever. There's no need to fu-"

"Stop yelling at me," Marik snarled, one hand clamping over Bakura's mouth to silence him. His hand trembled a bit and for an instant his eyes seemed darker than usual. "I...Just..." he drew shaky breath. "Just...forget it..." He stood, releasing the thief and storming off.

_"He really can't control his anger,"_ Bast sighed softly. _"Marik's emotions are very black-and-white right now."_

'I've noticed,' Bakura grumbled, rubbing his jaw.

_"Still, he did stop on his own so he's making progress, wouldn't you agree "Baku"?"_ she asked, amused.

'What is it with you people and f***ing nicknames?' the thief snapped. He grasped the Millennium Ring again, studying the item thoughtfully. 'And what was with that dream?'

_"Still thinking about that?" _Bast asked, the bell chiming softly and light spreading from it. _"Then again, dreams have been known to hold deeper meanings. Especially to the Egyptians, right?" _

Bakura grunted in response and got to his feet. As a precaution he held up the Millennium Ring once more, scanning the area for any sign of danger or any trace of another Millennium item. Though the Ring didn't react, he found himself staring off to the north-east.

* * *

Rajan took the lead the next day, following a map that Petri had given him the night before as well as the harper's directions on where they could, hopefully, attain transportation to as least Sacramento and hopefully beyond.

Trailing behind the others, Petri held onto Yugi's upper left arm, allowing himself to be led rather than rely on his staff and senses. He'd had a lot on his mind and found it far easier to think if he didn't have to focus on where he was going.

"You're being quiet," Yugi informed him quietly.

"I know," Petri laughed softly. "So unlike me." He paused and let out a quiet sigh. "Just have a lot on my mind, Yugi. I have two different sets of memories in my head..."

The former game master patted his friend's hand reassuringly. "Rajan went through the same thing after meeting up with Marik."

"I'm not Rajan...I'm not so sure I'm even Petri..."

"What do you mean?"

Petri shook his head sightly. "I'm not that same person I was back then...I used to be quiet and shy. Practically a tag-a-long little brother with two older brothers and two younger sisters. I...I think my parents didn't pay a lot of attention to me, I can't really remember but they had Rameses getting into trouble all the time and Rajan going to Scribe school. Our sisters got a lot of attention I think..."

"You think," Yugi nudged him slightly. "You probably just don't remember."

"I dunno..." Petri admitted, shaking his head again. "In this life...I was an only child. My parents paid me attention but...I had to fight my own fights. In the past Rameses-Marik, whatever he's calling himself now...But he and Rajan would always defend me if I got into fights...which wasn't that often. I think I got into more fights this time around..." he growled softly, shaking his head again. "So confusing...And not really helping my head ache today."

Yugi cringed, leaning closer and slowing their pace. "You should tell them."

Petri pursed his lips and fell silent for a moment. "Not yet...I...don't want them to worry about it. Especially since it's just something I've learned to...live with."

Yugi chewed on his lip a bit. "How many do you have left?"

"I knew that was coming. Three. And before you freak out on me, I haven't been /O-D-ing/. I lost a bottle somewhere in Japan. I think it was stolen. Getting to Sacramento is going to be, quite literally, a pain, but I still have my emergency stuff."

"You take two a day," Yugi hissed. "How many days is this trip going to take?"

"At a good pace and provided all goes well...twelve to fourteen days. Unless we have to walk and then-"

"What are you two doing all the way back there?" Rajan asked suddenly.

Yugi jerked slightly, startled, and opened his mouth to reply when he felt Petri squeeze his arm.

"Ah...oh, Gamer's just hitting on me again, he does that," he laughed, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand.

"I just can't help it, he's such a sexy beast," Petri purred, immediately bursting into laughter.

"Oh gods," Bakura grumbled.

"I-it's just a joke," Yugi explained, smiling brightly to mask the pang of uneasiness. "See, whenever _Gamer_ comes to Japan, he stops by the Game Shop and I dye his hair for him. Since we're locked in the bathroom for hours at a time, the others joke and say that we're secret lovers."

"Whatever," the thief shrugged. "Just keep it to yourselves."

Malik glanced at Marik, sensing something through their mind link, but then turned his attention to Yugi and Petri. "So why do you dye your hair?"

Rajan hummed slightly, glancing back at Marik, the pair exchanging a glance before he cleared his throat. "We're almost their Petri."

"Already? I really wasn't paying attention," the harper laughed. "I'll tell you later, Malik. First let's see about getting on the road, as it were." He released Yugi's arm, though not without a parting squeeze, and hurried to catch up with Rajan. "Remember /ix-nay on the etri-Pay/ while we're here. Everyone calls me Gamer."

"/Exney on the/...what the bloody hell does that mean?" Bakura tsked irritably.

"I'll explain later," Rajan promised. "Just let us do the talking. That goes for you too, Marik."

With a grunt of compliance from the blond yami, they approached a tall, brunette man wearing a white shirt and matching pants, the color helping him stand out under the small lamp he had lit. Green eyes gleamed as he saw the approaching group, a smile tugging at his lips when he spotted Petri.

"/About time you turned up again Gamer./"

"/Alex! How are you! How's your wife? Is Lia around?/"

The man called Alex laughed, tossing his head back a bit. "/I'm just fine. Last I heard, Luna is doing well. And Lia is running, but you should have guessed that. You're earlier than usual. We weren't expecting you back for another month at least./"

"/I wasn't planning on being back so soon,/" Petri sighed, a hand covering his heart. "/But alas, my early return delays my reunion with the lovely Lia./"

"/Praise be whatever gods might still watch over us,/" Alex chuckled, clamping a hand on Petri's shoulder. "/But your _obvious _admiration for my _only _daughter aside, I suppose you're looking for the usual?/"

"/About that-/"

"/You brought a bit of a crowd with you today,/" the man noted, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"/You see-/"

"/You weren't going to ask me to help you get this whole group to Sacramento were you?/"

"/If I may,/" Rajan stepped in, offering a smile. "/We have business there ourselves and, after learning that Gamer was headed there as well, we wanted to offer an escort./"

Alex held Rajan's gaze for a moment before looking down at Petri. "/You're fare is waived, as usual, but I'm afraid I'll have to insist that the rest of you pay. Well.../" he paused a moment. "/Less one person because Gamer can't ride alone. Normally I'd send a guide with you but I'm a bit short right now. Since Gamer's with you.../" he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "/Ok, I think I have a solution...and a price./"

"/What will it cost us?/" Malik asked nervously.

"/I'm not asking for money or anything like that,/" Alex reassured them. "/We have quite a few mouths to feed here./"

"/Food in exchange for travel then?/" Rishid asked bluntly.

"/That's not too unreasonable,/" Malik nodded. "/But how much do you want us to get?/"

"/For all of you...about fifty pound. Any mix of meat, vegetables, grains, etcetera./"

Marik huffed and turned away.

"Marik?" Rajan asked.

"I'll get it," the blond yami insisted.

"By yourself?" Rishid asked. "That's a lot to gather and carry on your own. I'll come with you."

Marik paused, trembling slightly as he bit back to urge to argue. "Fine. You come too, Bakura."

"Make me," the thief tsked, folding his arms behind his head. The blond yami sent him a dangerous glare and Bakura sighed, rolling his eyes and trailing along.

"/They're going to go look,/" Rajan explained. "/Please forgive my brother, he's been-/"

"/No need to explain,/" Alex interrupted with a sad smile. "/A lot of people are touchy right now. Until they return let me show you to the stables./"

* * *

Two hours of searching had netted Marik, Rishid, and Bakura around thirty pounds of food in a mix of edible plants, a stash of canned items that still seemed safe to eat, and an unfortunate trio of rabbits. The thief had gone into yet another abandoned and condemned building to see if there was anything that could be salvaged.

Rishid eyed Marik, who fidgeted beside him irritably. "We almost have enough," he commented, earning a grunt from the blond. "With any luck we'll be finished within the next hour." He paused, gauging the other's expression. "I could go on to talk about the weather if you don't have anything to say."

"Leave me alone," Marik growled darkly, grimacing and looking away for a moment before muttering something under his breath. After a long pause the blond sighed, his expression falling neutral for a moment. "It's Petri. There's something he's not telling me. Something he can tell Yugi but not his own brothers. That's what's bothering me. Now leave me alone." His expression changed again and he looked up at the sky. "Happy hikari? You leave me alone too!"

"Quiet," Bakura's voice hissed suddenly. Both men looked to see the thief hiding in the shadows beside the building he'd been exploring, one hand extended and beckoning them closer. "There's a deer over here. Hurry your asses up."

Marik hurried toward the thief, Rishid following at a slower pace, not really caring to participate in the actually killing. He caught up to the two yamis as they crouched behind a low wall that had once been part of another building. He leaned closer to Malik so he could whisper something he hoped would help put his mind at ease.

"Give him time. It hasn't even been a full day since his memory of your and Rajan returned. Whatever is, he'll tell you in time."

Marik shot him a glare before returning his attention to their prey.

* * *

AN: I was going to write more but it'll end up being like...a triple chapter XD So I'll keep writing and leave you this to read for now. I feel like I'm almost out of practice...

Well the next part should prove interesting. It will be another fast-forward traveling scenario. Hopefully I can get it finished today. I really want to get back into the swing of updating. (I also really need to stop saying I'm going to update HtYnE and actually update it XD)

Thank you for baring with me! *leaves a plate of cookies and goes back to writing*

Oh! And kudos if you know where Alex and Luna are from :D


	15. 14:On The Road To Sacramento

AN: Finally got it to a satisfactory length. I swear there are some days I just write a sentence or two and then get sidetracked or lose focus.

Wow 14 chapters already and they still haven稚 found Ryou. This is going to be a long story but that's ok.

Alex and Luna, by the way, are from Lunar Silver Star Story, which is an awesome game in all of it's incarnations (Sega CD, Playstation, DS, and PSP. Same game but retold in each release with some chages. For example, in the Sega CD version Alex play a harp but from the Playstation on he had an Ocarina. And the cut scenes seem to be the same on the Playstation and PSP versions just different voice acting and properly translated songs). It's a good game and I recommend it ^^

But enough of that, I should either do some writing of some sleeping. Hope you enjoy this chapter :3

* * *

"/This is more than enough food. Thank you,/" Alex said after appraising the food Marik, Bakura, and Rishid had brought. Two other men carried off the deer they had managed to kill. It had cost them two of Rishid's bullets, but it had been worth it sacrifice. "/Your friends are still at the stables with Gamer, though if you'd like to rest for a while that's fine./"

"/We should probably leave as soon as possible,/" Rishid explained, bowing slightly. "/But thank you for your hospitality./"

"What's going on?" Bakura asked, looking to Marik.

"Figure it out for yourself," the blond replied sourly, stalking off to find Malik. The thief growled a bit, casting a side-long glance at Rishid when the taller Egyptian grabbed his elbow.

"It was nothing important," he explained coolly. "We should get leave as soon as possible."

"Tell me something I don't know," Bakura tsked, jerking his arm free and heading in the direction Marik had gone. He clenched his jaw as he heard Rishid exchanging more words with Alex, growing more and more irritated with the foreign language. When the reached the stables they saw Yugi nervously mounted on a gray mare with another man standing beside him and giving him instructions, which Petri translated into Japanese. Rajan was going over the map with a woman, obviously going over the route they were to take.

Marik sat at Malik's feet, one arm hugging his hikari's leg while he leaned his head against it, his eyes closed and looking a bit melancholy.

_"These horses were moved here about two years ago. In fact, this place was only built then as well. So many people were left homeless or abandoned after Zorc appeared that there just wasn't enough shelter to go around." _Bakura raised a brow, looking around the small ranch, if it could be called that. _"There are quite a number of people living here. Those who don't want to leave, those who cannot because of illness or injury. Children that have no other place to go. Alex and his wife decided to take is upon themselves to try and help them. Their horses are bred to travel long distances so they offer transportation to and from Sacramento as well has building homes at both ends of the trail."_

Bakura looked to where Rishid and Alex were speaking and guessed that Bast's sudden talkativeness was due to what they were talking about. 'Why? What's in it for them? Shouldn't they be more worried about their own family?'

_"These people are their family," _Bast replied gently. _"They work together to make this place a safe haven and to help others in need. The food he asked you to gather will help feed those living here for three days. It really doesn't seem fair does it? You only have to help feed them for a few days whereas he is entrusting you with one of his horses for over a week."_

Bakura mulled this over for a moment before shaking his head. 'That's his business.'

"Bakura," Rajan called, motioning the thief toward him. The others had already gathered around the blond while Bakura had been distracted by Bast. He joined them, eyes scanning the map that was spread out before them. "Alright, we'll be starting off just a half-mile north of here at the a rail station," he began, pointing to the spot on the map. "From there we'll follow the tracks north. They've set feed stations where you see these blue spots. We'll see the first one about 40 miles in and from there every 10 to 20 miles. They ask that we don't push the horses to go more than 60 miles in a day unless we have to and to give them a lot of attention when we stop to sleep." He moved his finger to a circled point on the map. "Around day five or six we'll hit Bakersfield and well stop there for at least one day to let the horses rest and give ourselves a break. The area's become sort of a trading post so it would be a good chance to try and replenish our own supplies."

"At least one day?" Yugi asked.

"Two days would be better," Rishid pointed out.

"But do we really have two days?" Malik sighed, resting his hands on his hips. "And isn't there a faster way to travel?"

"If you're thinking of Osiris, it's not really an option," Rajan shook his head. "True he can fly fast, but we wouldn't have much to hold on to. Taking in to consideration wind speed, velocity, altitude, and the fact that we're trying to keep low, it's just not safe. And even if we did fly, we'd only be able to travel at-"

"We get the point," Bakura cut him off, tapping the map.

Rajan laughed a bit. "Right sorry. When we leave Bakersfield we'll have another 4 to 5 days ahead of us until we hit Sacramento where we'll turn in the horses here."

"I thought you said you could get us transportation?" Bakura tsked, glaring ineffectively at Petri.

"That's just to get us to Sacramento," the harper pointed out, wagging a finger in the thief's direction. "My dad's up there and he has connections."

"Don't harpers normally cut off ties to their families?" Malik asked.

"It's a long story. And one for another day if we're going to get going. We have places to be, people to see, and miles to go before we sleep," Petri smiled, hoping to deflect any further questioning.

"Petri's right," Yugi pressed. "The sooner we leave to soon we get to Sacramento."

The others nodded in agreement and began to disperse. Rajan caught Marik's arm and stopped him. "[Give him time. We have a long road ahead of us.]"

Marik sighed, giving the other blond a sad look. "[Rishid said the same thing. But-]"

"/Excuse me,/" Alex's voice interrupted. The pair looked to the brunette curiously as the man took a moment to look over them before taking a deep breath. "/It's not my place to ask this but...are you two related to the harper? To Gamer?/"

Rajan bit his lip, uncertain how to answer that question.

"/He's our brother,/" Marik replied proudly, straightening up. His expression becoming serious as he ignored the glare he earned from Rajan.

Alex nodded after a moment, smiling. "/I can see the resemblance. I know I don't have to say this but please take good care of him./" He pointed to the others and nodded. "/And take care of each other too, of course. Have a safe trip./"

* * *

The first day of travel passed without incident and they stopped for the "night" outside of the city limits for Murrieta. Petri groaned as his feet touched ground.

"And now I remember why I prefer walking," he grumbled, rolling his shoulders.

"It's not too bad," Yugi insisted, though he was tired and his legs protested the idea of walking. He tried to ignore it, however, as he set about removing the saddle from the horse as Alex's stable hands had taught them.

"I guess the good news is that, until now, we haven't really had to touch our food supplies," Malik pointed out. "To be honest though, I'm not really looking forward to dried-everything for the next week."

"You get used to it," Petri smiled, fumbling to untie his backpack from the saddlebag. "There are a lot of people living off this sort of stuff now. Plus we can try hunting and trapping as we go, though I think the rabbits are getting smarter. Last time I came this way we only caught three the whole trip." He paused thoughtfully as he pulled his pack down. "Though one rabbit is more than enough for two...for all of us we'd probably be better off making soup or stew. Should be some dried herbs and cooking supplies in the shed as well as a huge thing of water."

""A huge thing"?" Yugi teased, handing Petri his staff. "What sort of "thing" is it?"

"/Hell if I know/. It's big and it's full of water. That's all I know about it."

"Actually there are three," Rishid explained, approaching the trio. "One is nearly empty however the other two are full. Rajan is going to water the horses and Marik and I are going to have a look around. Yugi, would see about gathering kindling?"

"Sure," Yugi nodded, patting Petri on the shoulder before leading their horse toward the others.

"Malik, gather up the saddle pads and lay then out near the fire pit so we can sleep on them."

"No problem," the younger Ishtar nodded, leaving to see to his task.

Petri grinned up the taller Egyptian, hugging his staff close as he leaned on it. Rishid found himself smiling back and patted the teen on the hand.

"Don't think I can't do anything just because I'm blind," the harper challenged.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Rishid assured him. "Can you help Rajan tend to the horses?"

"With my eyes closed," Petri laughed, hefting his backpack. "Would you point me in the right direction my good sir?"

Rishid gently grasped Petri's shoulder and turned him so that he was facing the shed.

"Much obliged!"

Rishid sighed to himself before looking to Marik, who waited impatiently for him a few yards away.

As they left, Bakura watched them for a moment before giving his horse a final pat on the neck and leaving it to his dinner.

"We've pretty much got this handled Petri."

The thief looked to see Rajan ushering his brother toward fire pit.

"You're telling me you've already fed all six horses already?" the teen asked, a hint of irritation in his tone.

The blond patted him on the arm. "Just about. Why don't you sit down and take a break or play some music?" he suggested. "I'll be back in a few minutes." He released Petri and headed back toward the horses, casting a wary glance back as if worried the teen might follow him.

Bakura noted the tension in the harper as he seemed to debate doing just that before his shoulders drooped a bit and he carefully sat on the ground, rummaging through the pockets of his backpack. He caught up to Rajan just as he was readying another feed bag.

"You're coddling him."

Rajan glanced at the thief before shaking his head. "He wanted to help feed the horses but I've got this handled."

"More you were worried he might get hurt," Bakura accused. The blond sighed but the thief merely shrugged nonchalantly. "It's none of my business. Just seems that he can take care of himself."

_"Bakura!"_ Bast mock-gasped. _"Did you just make an astute observation?"_

'Shut up.' "The real reason I came over here is because I want to learn English."

"/I want to learn English/," Rajan replied, smiling and seeming relieved that the topic had changed. He laughed at the annoyed look Bakura gave him in response. "If you're going to learn you have to start somewhere. It means "I want to learn English" but the sentence structure is different in English than it is in Japanese. It's more structured like Arabic..." he trailed off, looking up at the sky thoughtfully. "Which means it might be easier to learn English if I taught you in Arabic...but I need to teach Yugi too."(1)

"It doesn't matter, just teach me," Bakura grumbled.

Rajan smiled, nodding. "Sure. Give me a hand with feeding the horses and once we get a fire going we'll start."

Bakura chuckled to himself, taking an empty feed bag and scooping feed into it. "You do realize if you'd had Petri fill these you'd probably be done by now?"

* * *

The fourth day of travel found the group at Palmdale without incident. They had set up camp, eaten dinner, and slept easily.

In the morning, however, Yugi awoke to a soft, familiar whimper. Glancing about to make certain the others hadn't heard it, he crawled over to Petri, reaching into one of his side pockets and finding a small, unmarked bottle and giving it a small shake before opening it and taking out a pill.

"Ha-half," Petri insisted, trying to keep his voice steady.

"How do you still have two pills left?" Yugi asked, reluctantly trying to break the pill in half. He finally gave up and handed the medicine to the teen who bit it in half and handed the remaining portion back. After a moment of silence he sighed.

"I'm fine."

"Can you even move right now?" Yugi asked. "You should take the rest too."

"I should do a lot of things," Petri grumbled irritably. "Can we have this talk after it kicks in?"

"They're going to start asking questions. You can't pretend to be happy forever. When are you going to tell them?"

The harper rolled onto his back and hissing softly. "When I honestly can't take it anymore. I still-"

"Have your back up, but you aren't even using that," Yugi sighed, shaking his head. "You've also been less talkative lately. Is it just the pain?"

Petri made a face before relaxing a bit. "Rajan and Ramses keep treating me like a kid. Like I can't do anything."

"Have you tried talking to them? They are your brothers."

"They are...and they aren't," the teen stated. "They were...but they don't know me anymore. And they don't realize that I've been blind for about two and a half years now and have been traveling to and from Japan and California. I can take care of myself. I can do almost anything they can do."

"Then tell them to stop treating you like a kid," Yugi insisted. "What's stopping you?"

"...Because they're..." Petri started, pursing his lips together a moment. "I don't know...I still feel so torn. Part of me wants to just be their little brother again and let them take care of me. Part of me hates being alone and in pain all the time. It would be so easy to just...stop fighting it and let them do everything for me." He forced himself to sit up, gritting his teeth and turning to face Yugi. "But the other part of me wants to be independent and keep doing things the way I have been. Keep _living_ the way I have been. You don't know what it's like to have two different people inside you."

Yugi took one of Petri's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. 'Actually...' "Tell them. They care about you."

"That's the worst part...I know they do..." the teen laughed dryly. With a sigh the shook his head. "I'll tell them...I'm just...not ready to talk about it yet."

Yugi took another look around before shifting into a more comfortable sitting position. "Since we have some time, I have a story you probably need to hear. It started back when I was in high school when I first completed the Millennium Puzzle and met the Pharaoh."

* * *

AN: I was planning on getting them all the way to Bakersfield in this chapter, but then I had an idea that would make this chapter too long. Sadly that means you get a boring chapter now and an exciting one later XD Oh well, now Petri can be up to speed on everything. Well, at least from Yugi's point of view.

Now if I can convince my friends to stop trying to drag me to raid in WoW I should be able to update something else soon. :3

1) It seems like Arabic and English and structured similarly anyway. It's just a guess based off a translator I found online. Anyone know for sure?


	16. 15:Surprise Attack

EDIT: See note at then of chapter.

AN: I still live!

If you've been keeping up on DeviantArt, you know why I haven't updated anything. Long story short:

I'm moving mid-October, I have to sell stuff, my parakeet (Marcel) died suddenly (2:30am one morning his legs just weren't working and he had passed away the next day before 11am), my car ate $800 and is still broken so I've decided to sell the stupid thing and be done with it.

So I've was super stressed out all August but I've worked on a few things. If you look at my dA account you'll see I've done a few drawings (I've learned that I like to use bases XD) and posted a few teaser chapters for some stuff. Just saying.

Anyway, hopefully I'll finish the stuff I've started working on and get back on track with updates. *puts out fresh cookies, juice, and coffee* Enjoy! And thanks for not flogging me for my disappearance :p

* * *

"We should be in Bakersfield tonight," Rajan announced to the others as they broke camp, the map held before him as he estimated their progress. "Once we get there we'll find an inn and than get some rest then tomorrow we'll worry about supplies."

"Hopefully something that isn't dried pineapple or nuts," Malik grumbled, grudgingly chewing on a piece of the aforementioned fruit.

"At least we have something to eat," Rishid attempted to placate his adopted brother with an offering of water.

"Petri, where is the inn in Bakersfield? Is there only one?" Rajan asked, glancing at his younger brother. The harper seemed to be lost in thought so the crimson eyed blond gentle placed a hand on his left shoulder to get his attention.

"_Don't touch me_!" Petri snapped, jerking away from the touch as though he'd been burned. He froze for a few seconds before bringing a hand to his face and sighing. "Sorry I'm just...tired and...and grouchy this morning...if it can be called morning...I don't know..." he breathed.

Rajan frowned. Everyone had noticed the drastic change in Petri during their trip but it had been mostly chalked up to the teen dealing with his memories of the past. He had gone from being happy to reserved when he wasn't forcing himself to be happy. On top of that, his occasional reaction to being touched without warning made Rajan uneasy, his mind listing all the possible causes and none sitting well with him.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Rajan apologized, noticing how Petri's other arm hugged itself close to the teen's chest, this grip tightening on his staff. Yugi suddenly materialized beside the stricken harper, the back of one hand brushing Petri's upper arm and seeming to help him relax. Yet another mystery that Rajan had yet to unravel: Yugi seemed to be the only one Petri didn't mind touching him. 'Curiouser and curiouser...' "Are their multiple inns at Bakersfield?" he tried his question again.

"Hmm?" the hand lowered from Petri's face and he nodded slightly. "Two. There's a stable we can leave the horses at just inside the town and the inn's next to it." His staff switched hands so he could take hold of Yugi's upper arm. "I'm pretty much guaranteed a room so we would only have to try and get at least one more though two would be the best bet so that everyone has enough room. That's my opinion anyway. Come on Yugi, let's get mounted," the harper insisted, the smile crossing his features notably forced while the one on Yugi's showed a trace of worry as he led him to their horse.

"Marik's worried too," Malik's voice startled Rajan and he looked to the other Egyptian. "He's trying to be patient but-"

"It's frustrating," Rajan finished for him, looking back to see Petri and Yugi seemed to be having a private argument, the latter finally seeming to surrender and help the other into the saddle. "Yugi obviously knows but he hasn't said anything."

"Perhaps he's keeping it secret until Petri is ready to tell us for himself," Rishid suggested.

Rajan hummed a note of discontent but folded the map and moved to stow it back into his pack.

* * *

They had traveled several hours at a brisk pace, all silently eager for a chance to sleep indoors that "night" when Bakura realized he hadn't heard a word from Bast since they had broken camp. While he normally enjoyed her silence, it stuck him as odd that she would be so for such a long stretch of time.

"We ne- st-p" he heard from Petri's direction, the words repeated more loudly a moment later by Yugi.

"We need to stop! Hold up!"

The others were slowing, casting curious glances to Yugi and Petri when the Millennium Ring flashed brightly, Petri jolting upright simultaneously.

"I feel it too," Marik growled tightening his grip on his reigns as not only his, but all of their horses seemed suddenly restless. Before any could react to the sudden tension in the air, a burst of energy stuck ground followed by a roar. Yugi cried out as his horse suddenly took off in a wild panic.

"Yugi!" Malik called after him.

"Petri!" Marik and Rajan said, nearly in unison before distracted by their attacker's brassy voice shaking the air, this time echoed by three other similar cries.

"Red Eyes Black Dragon," Rishid announced.

"Four? Shit," Malik breathed, drawing the Millennium Rod and casting a worried glance in the direction of Yugi and Petri which turned to surprise as he caught sight of Bakura's red robe and realized the thief was chasing after the pair. "Bakura?"

"You guys go after them," Rajan ordered, holding up his left hand, a red glow engulfing him momentarily. "I'll handle this." No sooner had the words been spoken, the glow vanished and another roar was heard as Osiris appeared in the air overhead, it's lower jaw opening and a jet of white light lightening striking the nearest dragon and then clamping the same mouth around the neck of another dragon while the upper mouth opened to spit a fireball at a third.

Meanwhile Bakura had managed to catch up with Yugi and Petri. His eyes flickered between the path before him and the frantic mount until he saw the opportunity to seize the reigns from Yugi's tight grip and managed, with some effort, to bring the horse under control.

"Get off," he demanded, still holding the reigns of their horse firmly as he dismounted himself. "Off. Now!" he punctuated when his first command only earned him a frightened look from Yugi. This time the former duelist shakily complied but it seemed Petri wasn't going to cooperate.

"Come on Petri," Yugi urged the teen.

Bakura had half a mind to shove the blind harper off the horse when he realized how badly he was trembling. How tightly his hands clung to Yugi's shirt and his breathing seemed to come in pained gasps. Throwing the horse a warning glare as if it would understand, the thief released the reigns and moved to lift him off the beast by his hips.

"Don't-" Petri choked but the protest died in his throat and he didn't argue further. Once his feet touched the ground, he sank to his knees, hugging his waist and shaking convulsively. Yugi had the harper's bag off the horse as well, violet eyes flickering from Bakura to the direction they had come from.

"Osiris!" the shorter man cried, pointing to the red dragon.

Bakura, not one to let such a diversion tactic work on him, feigned to look while keeping his focus on Yugi and Petri. He noted a small bottle clutched in Yugi's hand but his view was obscured by Petri, who looked about ready to collapse. After a moment the thief shook his head, turning his attention to the reason the horse hand taken off to begin with, examining it's hindquarters.

"She's hurt," he said, his tone implying that Yugi should have realized this fact. "It's not as bad as I thought but-" he stopped, looking up as Malik and Rishid could be seen riding toward them.

As if to complicate matters further, the ground rumbled violently, cracks tearing the ground in zigzags as the ground bulged, the train tracks twisting and breaking as a large creature broke through the surface, it's attention to Bakura, Yugi, and Petri.

"That...that's Gaia Plate the Earth Giant! What do we do?" Yugi asked, rising from Petri's side and discretely shoving the bottle he held into a pocket, a movement the thief noted before looking down at blind teen. "We have to get Osi-"

"He's too far away," Bakura snapped, silencing the suggestion. "Besides, we have Obelisk."

"But Petri..." Yugi trailed off, looking down at the teen in question. "He's..."

"Fine," Petri choked out, though he sounded far from him as he drew in a shaky breath and added. "J-just...shaken...'sall..."

"Are you sure?" Yugi asked, his voice low and full of worry. Petri's response was an outstretched hand that groped for the other's support as he shakily got to his feet, trembling from the effort.

Bakura mentally cursed himself as it suddenly occurred to him that no one had explained how to summon a Ka to Petri, at least not to his knowledge. Rajan and he had spent much of their free time with Yugi, the blond trying to teach them English with some noted success. Marik didn't seem mentally stable enough to think to do it on his own. He took a step closer to the teen and grasped his arm firmly to help steady him.

"Listen. Don't force him out. You don't have to push yourself to the point of passing out to summon Obelisk. You should be able to feel him, especially since you're in danger. Don't fight it, just let him come out," Bakura explained briefly. He opened his mouth to say more when Petri gasped and suddenly leaned against the thief.

"It's coming!" Yugi cried out in alarm as the rock giant lumbered toward them with impressive speed. It didn't make it far when another creature took shape, towering above Gaia Plate, a powerful fist slamming against it and sending it tumbling off to the side and away from the others.

"Oh my god," Petri breathed, pulling away from Yugi and curling his arms close to his chest as if trying to hide against Bakura's side, the thief's arms encircling him to keep him from collapsing. "That is Gaia Plate...I...I can see it..." Bakura and Yugi both stared at the harper, who trembled and let the thief support him. "Th-through Obelisk's eyes...I-I can see...nn..." he shook his head and made a face to suggest he regretted the action. "I...don't know...how long I can...hold up..."

_"Osiris comes,"_ Bast informed Bakura, her voice sounding distant. As if on cue the crimson dragon joined Obelisk in it's attack and they quickly defeated the rock giant before vanishing as well.

"Are you alright?" Malik called as the others finally managed to reach them.

Rishid quickly dismounted and approached Petri but Bakura waved him off, perpetuating the lie that Petri was just shaken and adding that summoning Obelisk had further stressed him.

Rajan and Marik joined soon after, both immediately concerned about Petri's well being and obviously not soothed by any explanations.

"We need to move," Bakura urged, waving a hand in an arc around him. "We can argue semantics when we're not out in the open. Yugi ride with Malik. Marik take Petri. I'll guide their horse. She should be fine without any passengers weighing her down."

"Bakura's right," Rishid insisted, moving back to his horse.

Petri opened his mouth to protest but closed it again realizing he didn't have the energy in him to argue and allowed Marik to guide him and help him up onto his horse before mounting behind him, his arms caging him in protectively.

"I have your staff Petri," Rajan assured the teen. "It fell off when your horse panicked."

Petri nodded softly, nervously settling against Marik's chest.

Bakura purposely bumped into Yugi before he could get onto Malik's horse, applying the oldest trick in the book to liberate the bottle the shorter man had thought safe in his pant's pocket. He shot the teen a glare that was none to apologizing before taking the reins of the injured mare and mounting his own horse, starting both off as an easy pace to re-familiarize himself with the technique he'd once used in stealing horses so long ago. Out of sight of the others, he turned the bottle in his hand and wondered what it had once held. A moment later it was tucked away so he could better examine it later.

* * *

AN: About time I got something updated. And on Ryou's birthday too. Not a long chapter and not as exciting as it could have been...but it furthers the story! Now I'm off to bed for I must work in the morning.

EDIT: I was thinking that I may have rushed this out too quickly and made Rajan and Petri seem a bit too OP (though it's more Osiris and Obelisk that I did so with than the OCs). I may rewrite this chapter or make note of the repercussions in the next chapter. I'm just happy I got something written and posted after a month of being stressed out :p


	17. 16:Bakersfield

SMALL EDIT: Apparently FFN doesn't like it when you put an exclamation mark and a question mark together at the end of a sentence so I had to improvise a bit since I felt both were necessary at the end of two sentences and put a space between them. Pretend that space isn't there ;)

AN: Another chapter! And it didn't take me a month!

I have been working on the next chapter of Hikari to Yami no Enishi but SideQuest is just all up in my brain lately and I wasn't to get to the exciting parts :3 But once I move next month I'll hopefully get back into a regular schedule for updating.

Without further adieu *sets out a box of bell collars and a tray of cookies*

* * *

By the time they reached Bakersfield Petri had fallen asleep and everyone was on edge, watching for signs of anything else coming after them. Marik seemed more than happy to carry Petri to the inn the stable hands directed them toward, Rajan seeming fairly drained as he followed along behind them. Bakura lingered behind after pointing out the injuries on the horse he had led, intrigued by the reactions of the man that took her from him.

"Those...shadow demon things are nasty creatures," the man explained as he inspected the injury, relief evident in his voice. "Luckily this looks more like she was hit by a rock or something. If the thing that attacked you had hit her..." he shook his head, gently patting the horse. "We'd have had to put her down."

"Put her down?" Bakura asked, raising a brow, his arms folded over his chest.

"It doesn't seem to be common knowledge but those...things...of Zorc's, when they hit you, leave nasty scars if your lucky. They say that the wounds don't heal right in most cases though and even healed they hurt." The man shivered as he set to the task of taking off the horse's saddle. "Some people die from the pain, some take their own lives to escape it. Very few people find some means of dealing with the pain. Don't know how effective it is for people but for animals it's more merciful to put them out of their misery." He shuddered and hefted the saddle off the animal before turning back to the thief but he had slipped away and now sat out on the roof of the stable, the bottle he had taken from Yugi cradled in the palm of one hand.

"Bast?"

The bell glowed faintly in response, the light extending only as far as Bakura's hand. He felt a slight pressure on his shoulders and knew Bast was likely behind him and bending forward to see the item he held, her hands on his shoulders. He turned the bottle slowly as she could see the characters on the paper stuck to the side of the bottle, irritated that he couldn't understand the meaning of the characters written on it.

_"Sutter Medical Center. Doctor Robert Abate. Kattari, Petri. Take one tablet twice daily. Morphine Sulfate Extended-Release Tablets, sixty milligrams. Quantity fifty. No refills. Do not crush, chew, or dissolve this medication. Do not drink alcohol or use any product that contains alcohol while taking this medication.(1)"_ Bast paused a moment, letting Bakura take in this information. _"It's a strong medication by mortal standards. Pain medication."_

The thief grunted softly in acknowledgment, turning the bottle in his hand thoughtfully. 'This would be enough for 25 days then. He must have carried more than just one bottle if he was going to Japan. Did he run out? Is that the real reason we have to go to Sacramento?' He tapped the bottle against his chin, recalling their first meeting with Petri before getting to his feet, the light receding back to the bell on his neck.

_"So you've figured out his secret," _Bast stated, hovering transparently beside Bakura. _"What will you do now?"_

Bakura shot her a sideways glance before nimbly hopping off the roof and landing in a crouch. 'This "Sutter Medical Center" can't be the only source of this medication.' He paused before adding 'He's no use to us if he's distracted by pain. Stop grinning like that and either point me in a direction or leave me alone.'

_"Head north east for three miles and you should find what you're looking for,"_ Bast replied gently. _"Mind you I do not approve of what you're planning but since it could count as a good deed I suppose I can turn a blind eye this time."_

* * *

Pain. Searing, mind numbing pain is what dragged Petri from blissful unconsciousness. The last half-dose of his morphine hadn't lasted nearly as long as he had hoped nor been as effective but he hadn't really expected it to. He clenched his jaw when he realized someone was carrying him and it took every fiber of his being not to cry out in pain as he was jostled a bit.

'Stay calm. Pretend to be asleep,' he told himself, repeating the words like a litany. He was relieved to feel himself being placed on a bed but it did nothing for the ceaseless pain that radiated from his chest and head. He had tried to find words to describe the pain but none really painted an accurate portrayal of the anguish that even his medication could only dull to tolerable levels. The best he could come up with was to compare it to being stabbed repeatedly with a hot branding iron that was also sometimes on fire and other time charged with electricity, it depended on the day really. It was taking everything in him to remain calm, praying that he would be left alone soon.

"What are you doing?" Yugi's voice asked. For a moment he wondered if he was being asked.

"Trying to make him more comfortable," Marik replied from above him. Petri was certain he paled when he realized Marik was lifting his shirt but the fabric quickly fell back into place.

"He'll be fine," Yugi was insisting anxiously. The harper suddenly felt guilty that he was constantly pleading with his friend to keep his pain a secret from the others.

"He was squirming on the way here," Marik growled. "He'll sleep better naked."

"He'll sleep better if you keep your voice down," Yugi hissed back sternly but Petri could hear the fear in his voice. Should he continue pretending to sleep? It was getting harder just to keep his breathing even...

"That's enough Marik," Rajan's voice intervened gently. "Let's go check out our room and let him sleep."

The only reply from Marik was another growl, softer this time, but a moment later the room was silent save for the quiet click of the door closing. Petri finally allowed himself a choked cry, his back arching off the bed and his face contorting into a mask of pain before he managed to roll onto his side, hugging a pillow to his face to muffle any other sounds that escaped him. He remained that way for some time, his body trembling and certain that the pillow would have been soaked by now. A gentle hand on his back rubbed small circles to at least remind the teen that he wasn't alone.

Finally he drew in several breaths before he managed to pull his head back from the pillow, sniffling miserably.

"You have to tell them," Yugi insisted. "You can't go on like this."

"I know," Petri replied shakily.

"...I know you don't like talking about it...I know why you're afraid to tell them. But they'll understand. And maybe we can find something here for you."

"...Front pocket. In the lining. Green bag," the teen whispered. Understanding what he meant Yugi left his side and before searching Petri's backpack which had been set at the foot of the bed. He returned a moment later.

"What is this?" he asked, peering at it's contents.

"It's my...back up," Petri replied moving slowly and deliberately into a sitting position and holding out a shaky hand. "This...isn't the-unh...the first time I've...run out. My first trip back to Sacramento...had to go a few days...without meds. One guy talked me into...trying cannabis(2)...Really doesn't help as much but...it's better than nothing."

"Cannabis?" Yugi repeated curiously before handing the bag to Petri.

The harper sighed, clutching the bag in his hands for a moment before looking toward Yugi. "Can I be alone for a bit? After this...after this I'll talk to the others."

Yugi nodded to himself before placing a hand on the teen's right shoulder. "I'll get us some food and drink then. I'll be back."

"Thanks," Petri muttered, fidgeting with the opening of the bag. He waited until Yugi had left before rummaging through the bag and pulling out a short, skinny cigar, twirling it in his fingers and letting out a soft sigh as he reminded himself why he carried them around despite all the years he had been warned against smoking and drugs.(3)

* * *

Rajan grunted as he tried in vain to get comfortable, huffing as he kicked the blankets off of him and buried his face in his pillow.

"You'll feel better after you get some sleep," Marik insisted from his own bed.

"_If_ I can sleep," Rajan hissed irritably, his voice muted by the pillow. With a sigh he rolled onto his side hoping a different position might be more favorable. "Are you sure I'm not burned?" He cringed at the feeling of Marik landing on his bed in a crouch. He shot the spike-haired blond a glare that went unnoticed.

"Nope!" Marik confirmed, gently prodding Rajan's exposed back and side and earning a hiss of protest.

"Quit it!"

"Osiris got burned a little and you're feeling it but after you get some sleep you'll feel fine, I swear," Marik insisted, grinning impishly. He looked up for a moment before hopping off the bed and vanishing form Rajan's line of sight.

"I've been trying to sleep for hours now," Rajan grumbled, his head throbbing dully. He closed his eyes, shifting his position once again. The feeling of something cold and wet on his aching side jolted him and he look to see Marik had draped a damp towel on him and was pulling the sheet over him. "And now the bed will get all wet."

"You'll be fine," Marik insisted once more, seeming please with himself as he drew the sheet up to his brother's neck. With a gently pat, he pressed a kiss to Rajan's cheek and moved back to his own bed, humming to himself.

"D-did you just kiss me goodnight?" Rajan demanded, pushing himself up a bit and trying to look at Marik over his shoulder. "And tuck me in? What am I, five?"

"I can sing you a lullaby too if you want," Marik chuckled. Before Rajan could reply they heard Malik's voice coming from the hall. Marik was on his feet instantly, rushing to see what was aggravating his hikari.

Rajan sighed to himself, peeling the covered back and dropping the towel on the floor as he got to his feet. "What now?"

"Do you even know what this is! ?" Malik was demanding, straining to keep his voice low.

"Do you?" the thief mocked back, his arms crossed defiantly over his chest.

Seething, Malik clutched a white bottle to his chest, lilac eyes narrowed dangerously. "It's morphine. It's the kind of medication that would fetch a lot of money on the black market three years ago. What's your game, Bakura? Why would _you_ go out of your way to steal something like this?"

"Morphine?" Rajan asked, motioning for the bottle. Malik thrust it at him, eyes never leaving Bakura, though the thief didn't seem to care. Turning it in his hands, the crimson eyed blond read over the label and made a face. "Where did you get this from?"

"Does it matter?" Bakura asked casually.

"What's going on?" Yugi asked, joining the group.

"Bakura's apparently decided to become a drug dealer," Malik snapped.

"He didn't say that, Malik," Rishid sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why don't we hear his reasons before we condemn him."

"Because he's evil," Marik growled, crouching slightly as though he might lunge at Bakura.

"Said the insane pot to the kettle,(4)" the thief replied, keeping an indifferent stance.

"What does that mean! ?" Marik demanded taking a menacing step toward Bakura.

"Everyone calm down, alright?" Rajan said firmly. "Now listen, I've been teaching Bakura to speak English but he wouldn't know how to read what's written on this bottle. The greater questions here is where did you get this and why did you take it?"

Yugi looked between everyone, quite ready to side with Malik and Marik against Bakura when he caught a glimpse of the label on the bottle. He patted his pockets and was startled to realize the medicine bottle was missing. Several possibilities swam through his mind right then but only one stood out and he looked up at Bakura's face in shock. Violet eyes returned his gaze and for a moment Yugi felt all the air leave his lungs, realizing what Bakura was trying to tell him.

'The bottle! He took it and went to...so that's...' Yugi's mind reeled as he tried to comprehend why Bakura would do something that might benefit someone else but quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

"He got it for me," Yugi blurted out before he could stop himself. "I...um.." he quailed a bit at the curious looks from the others and his mouth opened a closed a few times in an effort to come up with a more plausible excuse for the medications appearance.

"No...no he...didn't."

All eyes turned to Petri's doorway, the teen leaning on the frame for support.

"He got it for me...though I don't know why...I never asked," Petri sighed, trembling a bit.

"Petri...?" Malik asked, looking the teen over curiously.

"Here," Bakura shrugged, handing the smaller medicine bottle to Rajan. "That's the same thing, right?"

"...Yes," Rajan nodded, sounding as much relieved as he was concerned. "Petri, why are you taking this? What's wrong?"

"It's clear, Petri," Yugi said quietly. "It's just us here."

"I...I figured..." Petri sighed, slowly bringing his hands behind his head and loosening the bandages.

"What's that?" Marik asked as the bandages fell away, revealing a gray, metal mask that covered the teen's eyes, fitting so closely to his face that it seemed to be a part of him. Trailing from under the mask to his right ear was a wide scar.

"It's a mask..." Petri replied, reaching behind his head again. There was a soft click as a snap was undone and he carefully head the mask in pace, reluctant to remove it. I...if you're squeamish you might want to look away," he said quietly, taking a breath before revealing the damage done to him only a few years ago. A deep scar cut across his eyes, the sockets obliviously having been broken. Skin over the place where eyes once were and looked oddly discolored and somewhat thicker that it should.

After an uncomfortable moment of silence, Petri fidgeted and forced out a hollow laugh. "If I'd known...this was all it took for some peace and quiet..." he tried to joke but trailed off awkwardly and brought the mask back up to his face.

"Don't," Marik snapped, stalling the motion. "You should feel comfortable enough to leave it off around us." He looked around at the others sternly. "And we should be able to look you in the face."

Petri pondered this for a moment but still replaced the mask. "But I don't...I hate it. I hate how it feels... I'll leave the bandages off...for now..."

Marik frowned didn't protest further.

"What happened?" Rajan asked, finding his voice again as Yugi took the bottles of medicine from him.

"The short answer is that I got lucky," Petri sighed, turning back to his room and motioning the others to follow. "If you want the whole story then follow me."

* * *

AN: Whooo I think I'll stop here. I planned to go all the way through Petri's story but that can be a separate chapter XD

Now we know why Petri's in pain and he'll tell his story, which should prove insightful not just to his character but other things. After that then he'll share his screen time with the others I swear! (This story is about Bakura after all)

Now let's see here...

(1) For those playing the home game, Petri's been bad about some of these points, like breaking the pills in half and drinking alcohol. He was putting himself at risk but if you're taking these medications you shouldn't :x

(2) Cannabis = Marijuana Oh Petri will you ever cease to be a bad influence on my readers?

Seriously though, marijuana does have medicinal benefits. And it's been used for thousands of years (even in Egypt if I recall). In a post-apocalyptic world it seems to me that those needing relief from pain or reality would turn to things like marijuana and so it seemed realistic that Petri might carry a bit on him for emergency pain relief.

Then again I'm no expert on the matter so correct me if I'm wrong XD

(3) One again, I'm not an expert on drugs and I don't know what a blunt looks like so feel free to slap me XD

(4) I should hope you got the reference but Bakura was alluding the the phrase "a pot calling the kettle black" Though not all pots and kettles are black these days come to think of it...

Until next time my lovely readers!


	18. 17:Scarred

AN: WELCOME BACK FROM JAPAN EARTHLUVA! (you lucky little...*cough cough*)

Ahem, this is a SUPER DELUX SPECIAL ULTRA LONG chapter. Much longer than I planned it to be but I hope you enjoy it and that it makes sense.

And please don't hesitate to ask me questions or point out things that don't make sense so I can make them make sense. By force. Rawr.

As usual "/.../" denotes the person is not speaking Japanese. In this case it's English. And the stuff in Italics is flash-backy-stuff.

Thank you for reading and extra cookies for reviewing :3

* * *

"Raa, what did you do? Rob a pharmacy?" Petri fussed, turning the large white bottle in his hands. "There has to be five hundred pills in this...I can't keep this whole bottle."

"Why not?" Bakura shrugged. "It will last longer and we can't really return to Sacramento every time you run out."

"Other people need that medicine too, idiot," Malik snapped, still irritated with the thief for having stolen it in the first place.

"Enough," Rishid demanded, placing himself between the pair.

"We'll decide what to do later," Rajan added calmly. "Petri..." he trailed off, not certain what question to ask first.

"Sit down and listen first," the teen sighed, settling himself at the head of the bed and opening the bottle. He dug a pill out from beneath a wad of cotton that had been pack in with the medication and popped it into his mouth before screwing the lid tightly shut. "Yugi you hold onto this. Now get comfy this is a long story and I hate telling it so let's get this over with in one go, alright?" He waited, listening to the others shuffle around to situate themselves more comfortably. "Where to begin..." he muttered to himself, fingers tapping his chin for a moment before he nodded and folded his hands in his lap.

"About three years ago...no...I'll say first that I was born in Egypt. When I was about five my father was offered a job in New York City and so we moved there. It was hard at first because my mother didn't speak English well and my father was working all the time. By the time I was eight, though, I was pretty fluent and had managed to make a few friends. Bullies picked on me because I was different, girls liked me because I was "cute", and my friends liked me because we were all into video games and comic books. By middle school I was into anime and duel monsters, so much so that I begged my parents to let me learn Japanese. It took some convincing and a lot of hard work but not only did they let me take after school classes to learn Japanese but they eventually agreed to sign me up in a foreign exchange program."

Petri paused for a moment, leaning his head back thoughtfully. "I didn't expect to get it, but I managed to get placed in Domino City. I was...I was so excited at the thought of living in the same city as Duel Monster greats like Yugi, Jounouchi, and Kaiba. I still remember that day at the airport. Mother and father were happy for me...and worried, of course..."

"What happened next?" Rishid prompted after a moment of silence from the harper.

"The end of the world..." Petri replied wistfully.

* * *

_After weeks of anticipation and a twelve hour flight it finally hit Petri that he was going to be living in Japan for at least a full Japanese school year. He stopped in the middle of Domino City's busy airport and just let his eyes wander. Fear pricked at him that he, perhaps, was in over his head and maybe he couldn't live in a city-a country-where the primary language was his third. He was jostled by people hurrying past him and smiled despite one man snapping an insult at him for being in his way. He cheerfully called out an apology before shifting the strap of his carry on bag and hurrying to find the baggage claim._

_Suddenly the ground heaved and shuddered beneath his feet and Petri stopped again, eyes wide and looking around. '/An earthquake? On my first day in Japan?/' He groaned inwardly but told himself to stay calm as he tried to figure out what to do based on those around him. _

_Everything electronic flickered wildly before finally shutting down, drawing a panicked cry from others in the airport. Or so Petri thought until he saw another potential cause. The ground seemed to shake more violently as the sun was slowly being eclipsed by the moon. A strange sensation came over the teen and his blood turned to ice in his veins. Automatically he felt himself drawn to the large windows to view the spectacle and the seconds dragged by. The trance was broken by someone screaming in fright and he suddenly realized that everyone was fleeing the building. Deciding that he really didn't need his luggage that badly, he followed them, his heart pounding in his chest. He felt something strike him in the back and was thrown off balance, sprawling to floor. His vision blurred momentarily and he wondered if he's been hit by part of the building. Raising his head and blinking a few times he decided he was alright and got to his feet, glancing around for whatever had hit him as he ran once more._

_'/I don't feel hurt,/' Petri realized as the exit came into view. '/In fact...I feel...what do I feel? Stronger? Lighter?/' He shook his head, deciding that it was just adrenaline and pushed himself to run faster. Following after another group that had exited before him, he noticed that several streetlights were broken and that dark clouds seemed to be gathering overhead. He managed to get onto a bus that was taking people away from the airport, not questioning the sanity of driving during an earthquake. The trip was short lived, the bus only making it a few miles before it was forced to stop._

_In the streets Petri felt entirely helpless. No one would stop long enough to help him, everyone seeking some semblance of shelter from the still violent tremors coupled with the hurricane force winds that were starting to howl fiercely through the streets. He wondered if he wouldn't have been better back in the airport and was starting to get frantic when a deafening roar cut through the the air, a bright light flashing over the city. Instantly the winds died down and even the earth seemed to settle down marginally. Confused and curious the teen looked up in time to see a golden being taking to the sky. Before he could question what he was seeing, the being's golden form split open and flame engulfed it and took the shape of a large bird._

_"Ra no Yoku-Shin-Ryu..." he breathed, feeling something tightening in his chest. One hand gripped his shirt tightly over his heart while his eyes followed the path of the fire bird._

_"What are you doing out here?" An older man grabbed his arm, startling the teen both by his sudden appearance as well as by his short stature._

_"/What/?" He asked dumbly. "I-I mean...I..."_

_"You speak Japanese?" The old man demanded, violet eyes searching the teens face sternly. "Where are your parents? It's dangerous out here," he reprimanded Petri._

_Casting a glance skyward he didn't even see a flicker of flame and questioned if anything had been there at all. He returned his attention to the old man and bowed slightly._

_"I just arrived from America alone...Foreign exchange student. Ah.../Damn, what do I say/" he swore to himself in English, one hand resting on his forehead as he looked around hopelessly. "Lost. I am lost."_

_"Not anymore," the old man said, his tone more reassuring as he grasped Petri's hand and quickly led him through the streets._

_Petri was relieved, so much as that he had to blink back tears, forcing himself to look around to try and pick out land marks. He barely noticed that the shop he was ushered into was called "Kame Game" and soon found himself seated in a small living room, the old man taking his bag from him and offering him a can of soda._

_"We're safe enough in here," he reassured Petri even as he moved to a window to peek outside. The ground was no longer shaking as fiercely and the sounds of panic even seemed to die down. "Well I'll be..." the old man muttered to himself before returning to the teen and offering him a hand to shake as well as a warm smile. " Mutou Sugoroku."_

_The teen hesitated a moment, his mind still reeling from the turn of events, but took the hand firmly and introduced himself._

* * *

_Petri was startled out of sleep several hours later, rubbing his eyes blearily and looking around to remind himself where he was. A few candles were still glowing on the center of the coffee table beside him but Sugoroku was no where to be seen. Voices drifted to him from the direction of the shop and Petri quietly made his way toward them._

_"He finally cried himself out on the flight over," someone was saying._

_"It was...heart breaking though. We...we couldn't do anything," another voice said, this one distinctly female._

_"If Kaiba hadn't been there we wouldn't have been able to get back to Japan," the first voice went on. "And even then we almost didn't make it. The jet was attacked twice but somehow we survived."_

_"What about Malik and his brother and sister?" Sugoroku asked._

_"They...refused to come with us," the woman said, obviously worried. "They said they couldn't leave even with Zorc stomping around..."_

_"...And the pharaoh?" Petri peered into the room quietly as Sugoroku nodded solemnly, getting his answer from the looks on the faces of a young man and woman. "I see..."_

_"What do we do now?" the woman asked, her voice so low that Petri almost missed the question._

_"We find a way to kick Zorc's ass back to the stone age that's what we do!" Another man growled, coming down the stairs that led to the bedrooms._

_"Jounouchi," the woman said softly, a slight whine in her tone._

_"Idiot, and just how are we supposed to do that?" The other man demanded, grabbing the front of Jounouchi's shirt. "With the-" he stopped suddenly, noticing Petri and releasing the blond. "Who are you?"_

_Petri quickly brought up his hands, waving them in an attempt to show that he meant no harm. "I...I'm new here. Fr-from America. Foreign exchange student. Friend!" he babbled, looking up and thinking about what he had just said. He groaned and smacked himself in the forehead. "/That doesn't sound right...let's see.../"_

_"It's alright," the woman said gently, motioning him to come closer._

_"This is Petri Kattari," Sugoroku said, introducing the flustered teen. "I found him outside earlier today. We had a terrible earthquake here that started just after his plane landed. With everything going on I thought he could stay here for now."_

_Petri shyly rubbed his left elbow before he remembered his manners and bowed politely to the others._

_"I wish we could have met under better circumstances, Kattari-san" the woman said sadly. "My name is Mazaki Anzu and these two are Jounouchi Katsuya and Honda Hiroto."_

_"**The **Jounouchi Katsuya?" Petri asked, startled at finding himself in the presence of a famed duelist. His question earned a snort of laughter from the blond in question._

_"Not really in the mood for fans right now Kattari-san."_

_"Just...Petri is fine," the teen replied._

_

* * *

_

_If Petri had be startled to meet Jounouchi, he was speechless to learn that the small game shop was the home of Mutou Yugi, though the acclaimed King of Games was but a shell of his former self. He didn't know what had happened but got the strong impression that someone close to Yugi and his friends had been killed. Regardless, he did everything he could to help the others with their grief._

_By the end of his first month in Japan, Petri's Japanese had improved greatly and he had been accepted into Yugi's circle of friends. Though Yugi himself was still distraught, he slowly found the strength to at least get out of bed. It was after a chance scavenging expedition that Jounouchi came racing back to the Game Shop (which now functioned as a lost-and-found of sorts as well as stocking useful items rescued from abandoned buildings) and burst into Yugi's room, a small, odd shaped golden block clutched tightly in hand._

_"Yugi! Yugi look!" the blond shouted, holding the item out for his friend's inspection. "Isn't this a piece of the Puzzle?"_

_Petri eyed the strange golden brink curiously as Yugi took it and turned it over in his hands. The short teen's expression brightened marginally before falling into the the same mask of sadness it had adopted._

_"What good is it?" Yugi asked, tears shining in his eyes. "He..." his voice died and he shook his head._

_Jounouchi's hands clasped themselves around Yugi's tightly, golden brown eyes forcing dull violet to meet his gaze. "If this piece exists them maybe there are more? Maybe if we can find the other pieces he'll come back! It's worth a shot!"_

_Petri fidgeted a bit, not understanding what Jounouchi meant. Before he could voice a question, Yugi's small form crumpled, the blond gathering him into his arms and trying to console him. Petri moved to hug Yugi from behind and decided that all he needed to know was that his new friend needed his support._

_"If there's even a small chance that he will return, then you cannot abandon hope," Petri offered, smoothing Yugi's limp hair._

_"Petri's right, Yugi," Jounouchi said encouragingly. "You gotta cheer up."_

_Petri smiled softly as he remembered a song, quickly translating it in his head before singing softly: "When you're blue, buy a clue; try not to mope. Ya gotta cheer up, and never give up hope: Don't be a dope! You gotta cheer up and never give up hope: Try to cope! Just cheer up and never ever give up hope hope hope hope hope!" He blushed a bit at the look Jounouchi shot him and ducked his head sheepishly. "I-it's from Animaniacs...Wakko's Wish...Sorry..."_

_"It's...alright Petri..." Yugi sniffled, his voice muffled as he had moved to bury his face in Jounouchi's shoulder. "...You're right...You're absolutely right...both of you..." He pushed himself away from his friend, dabbing his eyes and then wiping his nose with the sleeve of his shirt. "He...mou hitori no boku...he wouldn't want me...to just...give up..." he managed to say, his voice strained as he forced himself to calm down. ""You gotta cheer up and never give up hope"..." He nodded softly to himself and looked at the small fragment in his hand before wandering off._

_Petri let out a sigh and then jumped as Jounouchi slapped a hand on his back. The taller blond gave him an approving smile before following after Yugi._

* * *

_Over the next few weeks Petri found himself singing more often, especially since it seemed to help not only his new friends but anyone who heard him. Often people would thank him or request songs, to which he was pleased that his love of anime had given him a fair number of Japanese songs that he knew by heart. He returned to the Game Shop one day after doing some scavenging and singing and plopped down on the couch in the living room, the others noticing that he seemed distracted._

_"What's wrong Petri?" Anzu ventured to ask. When he hadn't seemed to hear her he tried asking again once she had gotten his attention._

_"Someone asked me if I was a bard."_

_"Ya mean like from a video game or RPG?" Jounouchi asked, leaning on the back of the couch._

_"Yeah..." Petri blinked before looking between the pair. "Apparently there's a group stationed in Tokyo that call themselves "bards". They travel around Japan and share news and sing songs and stuff." He looked away from them thoughtfully._

_"Sounds like a lot of work," Honda said, coming into the room, Yugi trailing behind him. "But since Zorc showed up it is harder to get any news of what's going on outside of Domino."_

_"Yeah..." Petri mumbled distractedly. "Especially news from outside Japan..."_

_Yugi sat down beside the younger teen and put an arm around him. "You're worried about your parents." Petri nodded and found himself sandwiched between Yugi and Anzu in a tight hug._

_"I'm sure they're ok," Honda said reassuringly._

_"Man, there's gotta be a way to get a hold of them," Jounouchi grumbled, punching a fist into his other hand. "Maybe Kaiba can figure something out."_

_"Speaking of Kaiba, we haven't heard anything from him since we came back from Egypt," Yugi pointed out, earning startled glances from Jounouchi, Honda, and Anzu. "Maybe we should go by the mansion."_

_"I'm afraid you won't find Kaiba Seto there," Sugoroku said, coming into the room with a tray ladened with mugs of tea. "I hear he's busy planning a trip to the United States. Something about preparing ships to attempt the voyage since air travel is out of the question. He'll be taking some of his technicians with him as well as anyone else willing to make the trip. Last I heard they were looking to find a few bards to go along and gather information in hopes of getting an information network started." He pressed a mug into Petri's hands, meeting the teen's eyes with a smile. "Of course they'd prefer those going to be fluent in both Japanese and English, so I hear."_

_"You should go Petri! You're fluent in Japanese and English!" Jounouchi chimed in encouragingly, missing Sugoroku's not-so-subtle hinting._

_"It will be hard to get to New York though," Petri pointed out. "Not to mention the trip will be dangerous...Plus I'm not a bard, I don't even know where I would go to become one."_

_"Life is full of risks, Petri," Sugoroku stated. "As for this bard business there was a young woman that came by today saying she was one and that she was looking for a good place to gather news and sing songs. I sent her off to Kaiba's place because that's where a lot of people seem to end up these days."_

_"Then what are we waiting for?" Honda asked, pushing away from the couch and motioning to the door. "We'll ask her and then talk to Kaiba all in one stop-"_

_"If he's even there," Anzu interjected even as she rose from her seat, tugging on Petri's arm._

_"...I guess...it can't hurt to ask at least," Petri agreed, getting to his feet. "And I have to at least try."_

_"That's the spirit!" Sugoroku smiled, ushering the five teens out. "Hurry along now, time is of the essence if we're to get Petri on that boat."_

* * *

"It was surprisingly easy to get on the ship really. Junri Sakura was the bard's name. Sweet though a bit emo at times. She vouched for me so I could get a place on the ship and then taught me everything she knew," Petri explained, picking up a canteen Yugi had placed beside him earlier and pausing long enough to take a drink.

"So then you came to the United States and became a harper?" Malik asked.

"Bard, harper. What's the difference?" Bakura tsked, rolling his shoulders a bit and cracking his neck.

"If you'd wait a minute I'll tell you. Sheesh," Petri grinned, wincing slightly. "The trip getting from Japan to California was horrible, as I'm sure you noticed since it really hasn't gotten any better. Three times the captain wanted to turn back and Kaiba would insist on pressing on. I didn't really get to meet him but I did see him from time to time. Wooo, he is one bossy guy. And he was hard on everyone, but he wasn't really hostile. He just wanted to make sure we all got across the Pacific in one piece.

"As for me, I learned a lot from Sakura about what would be expected of me."

* * *

_"It's more than just singing and dancing and trying to cheer people up," Sakura explained, tugging her long, black hair free of it's ponytail. "We are also dedicated to spreading news, which means learning what's happened and what is happening everywhere you do and making certain to tell others, especially other bards. Since you want to go to New york, you will learn a lot from people, but trust your senses and your instincts. Listen to them but also look around. Talk to everyone and ask the same questions as often as you must. Once you have your facts straight then you have to remember them. Take notes so you do not forget."_

_"Heh, it sounds sort of like a video game," Petri remarked, plopping on one of the beds in their shared room._

_"This is not a game, Petri," the girl said firmly, though a small smile touched her lips. She sighed, sitting beside him. "I hope we get there soon. I feel so sick._

* * *

"...That's really the only important thing to mention about the trip over come to think about it," Petri said rather abruptly, pursing his lips together. "Pretty much just played music together and talked to people."

"I think we'd be more inclined to believe you if your face wasn't turning red," Rajan pointed out, raising a brow.

"That's just the morphine," Petri insisted quickly. "ANYway, we got off at San Diego and it didn't take long for us to run into our first harper. He had come to investigate the ship and see what he could learn. It turned out that the Japan wasn't the only country to think of traveling mistrals. We were taken to their headquarters at the time and spent the better part of a week talking to them. In the mean time Kaiba vanished after making certain that at least one ship would continue to ravel from San Diego to Domino City. He was heard to say something along the lines of that if the world had any chance of surviving that communications and trade were vital. The technicians he had brought were charged with supplying and repairing power generators to important buildings such as hospitals and larger shelters.

"As for me, I we given a crash course in what had been happening in the states since I'd left. Apparently there had been a massive uprising, all the branches of the military throwing themselves against Zorc, who was none-to-happy that some countries weren't being as subservient as he wanted. It didn't end well and there are apparently large areas that are little more than still smoldering craters. Things only got worse when he systematically killed off most if not all of the world leaders. He didn't stop there, though. He had become bent on demoralizing every being on the planet, destroying anything that made life bearable. That extended to include harpers...

"I was warned. I was given a chance to back down and I refused. If it pissed off Zorc, I would keep doing it if only to feel like I was contributing something. I thought I could handle anything.

"I was wrong."

* * *

_The trip from San Diego to Sacramento was made quickly, though it was obvious by the end of the trip that the train would not be running much longer. Petri had also gotten to see first hand that the rest of the world had not been spared Zorc's wrath as Domino City had._

_He forced himself to focus on the task at hand, attributing any unease he felt to his surroundings._

_"/Remember to keep your head down./" _

_He cast a side-long glance to the other harper who would be accompanying him for part of his journey as a sort of mentor. The man was easily in his early thirties, which reminded the teen that he was, in fact, the youngest harper enlisted to date. He was fairly tall with shoulder length brown hair and eyes to match._

_"/Sorry Mr. Suthers,/" Petri smiled, ducking his head a bit.._

_"/For the last time, you can just call me Ray,/" the older harper chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. "/And you know that's what I mean. Just watch yourself and mind your surroundings. We're wanted men after all. Now then, we'll stay here for a couple of days and then start heading east./"_

_Petri nodded, trying to ignore the sudden chill down his spine and chalking it up to being both excited and nervous._

_"/A few others went to New York a while ago. If we're lucky, we'll run into them and see if they've heard about your parents,/" Ray continued, patting Petri on the shoulder in hopes of reassuring him. "/We haven't heard anything from the east coast yet but we're certain that if people are still alive here then they have to be alright over there. Zorc doesn't seem to want to kill everyone./"_

_"/Yeah.../" The chill seemed to be invading Petri's gut now and he hugged himself. 'I'm just worried about mom and dad,' he told himself, but something else inside him seemed to demand him to take action._

_"/No one seems to really know what that big ugly wants though,/" Ray added with a note of hatred for Zorc. "/Don't look so worried, Pe-/" at the same instant he stopped speaking, several people cried out in shock and fear._

_Petri's eyes widened as the hand on his shoulder tightened it's grip for a fleeting second before falling limply away. Shocked, he touched the warm wetness on the side of his face and neck and then stared at the blood on his hand before looking to the man who had just been speaking. His body had fallen to the ground beside him, blood spilling freely from his neck and his head laying a few feet away._

_Petri barely had time to react, catching sight of the danger from the corner of his eye. He fell to the ground almost as if someone had pulled him off balance, narrowly missing the singing blade that had been aiming to liberate his head from his neck in the same fashion. He quickly scrambled away, easily discarding his backpack and spinning in a circle to determine where his attacker stood._

* * *

"I'm was scared out of my mind. A man twice my age was just killed in one shot and now it seemed that I was to be next," Petri narrated, hugging his knees to his chest at the memory of that day. "I was even more shocked when I saw exactly what was trying to kill me. It was the Celtic Guardian." He bowed his head a bit. "I honestly felt a little betrayed when I saw it really. I used to have a Celtic Guardian in my deck...I started calling for help. I didn't know what else to do and there were people watching. I think they were honestly too scared to run let alone help. Somehow I managed to dodge his attacks though. Almost as...if..." he raised his head slowly and his voiced died in his throat.

"Obelisk," Rajan and Marik said in unison. "Osiris save me before too. We were knocked out of the sky by some of Zorc's creatures and we saved us and carried us almost all the way to Shanghai," Rajan said quickly.

"Your ka spirits are a part of you," Bakura said, rolling his eyes. "If you die, they die. Naturally Obelisk was trying to save you but you wouldn't have known to summon him."

Petri chuckled softly at first, the sound growing in volume and a hand carefully covering his face so it didn't come in contact with the mask he wore. He laughed for a minute before muttering a few swears in English, and clutching his chest, the others reaching to offer support until he waved them off.

"Ow...ow...I shouldn't have...laughed like that..." he admitted. "It's just...it all makes sense now...Yes, I get it now. That day in the airport when everything started, that's when Obelisk returned to me. The reason I can tell when shadow creatures are coming...that's him too...gods..." he shook his head sadly. "If I had _listened_ that day then maybe Ray wouldn't have..." He drew in a deep breath, looking up as Rishid rested a hand on his right shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself for that. You did not know back them."

"I know...but I can still feel bad about it," Petri admitted sadly, patting the hand gently.

"But obviously Obelisk didn't do a good enough job protecting you," Bakura pointed out. He glanced at Marik, who had started growling at him.

Rajan placed an arm on his irate brother's arm. "Osiris appeared when we needed him and I wasn't even aware of him then."

"The difference is that you were still in control of the situation," Bakura explained, jerking a thumb over one shoulder. "And Bast agrees with me. You didn't let yourself panic, even as the plane was going down. You kept a level head and focused on trying to land us safely. Petri, on the other hand, just told us he was 'scared out of his mind'. It was all Obelisk could do to try to protect him. Summoning and using a Ka spirit takes focus. Without that, you're dead."

"...I obviously didn't die though," Petri pointed out. "Considering what happened, it's a miracle. I dodged several strikes, be it from my own reflexes or Obelisk's help, but I was still hit. And the first hit shocked me so badly that I think I blacked out for a few-"

"First hit?" Marik cut him off, his eyes scanning for any other visible injuries.

"Yeah...I was actually hit twice. The first one..." he sighed and stripped his shirt off, wincing at the effort. "Caught me on the left shoulder diagonally to the middle of my...well...torso I guess," he said, tracing the scar. "Weird thing is...how it hurts. It's not affected by touch so much as it's always hurting...like...like..." he tried to think of the best way to describe the pain, but finally shook his head. "I really don't know how to describe it. Burning. Radiating. Stabbing. It's a lot of different things.

"The point, though, is that I didn't react fast enough to dodge the next strike. All I could do was try to get out of the way. He was aiming for my throat, I know he was."

"How do you know?" Bakura asked.

"It's how they like to kill harpers," Malik said quietly. "If not a full decapitation, they want to silence them as a...warning to others."

"What happened next?" Rishid asked.

"I don't know really," Petri admitted. "The next thing I remember was...waking up in a hospital and scaring the hell out of someone. They thought I was going to be in a coma or die. I don't know how many days I was unconscious but the best I can figure it was less than a week. No one ever told me how I got to the hospital, just that I was very lucky." He bit his lip. "I believed them, of course. I was in pain, but I figured that I would be alright. They asked me repeatedly how I was feeling, if I needed more pain medicine, how my memory was...I was worried when one of the first questions was if I could wiggle my toes, but that's never a question you want to be asked.

"The one thing they kept telling me was not to touch my face. They were really cryptic about it too. I...I couldn't open my eyes but I thought that maybe they had taped them shut. I honestly had no idea what had happened to me. I listened for the first two days but then I got curious so I pretended to be asleep when the nurse came to change my bandages and...well...then they gave me a shot to knock me out." He turned his head away and fell silent for a moment.

"They had to sedate you?" Malik asked.

Petri reached a hand toward Yugi, making a grabbing motion until he felt the other's hand in his own. "You have to remember, I didn't know what happened to me...What I felt and what I thought was there didn't sync up...that's what the psychiatrist told me anyway. After that I was horribly depressed...all I could think was 'Oh my god, I'm disfigured. My life is over. What will mother and father say?'. I honestly wanted to die but, thankfully, was too much of a coward to try to take my own life. If it wasn't for the IV I probably would have since I didn't want to eat. I was in a very bad place."

"But," he said, his tone changing from the dark one it had adopted to a more thoughtful one. "I wasn't alone. I had a roommate named Walker Westfall(1). He yelled at me when I first realized what had happened to me. I don't remember what he said, but it wasn't nice. He did apologize a few days later while I was sulking and said he had only yelled because he thought I was crying over something simple like a lot of other people seemed to. He kept pestering me until I finally told me to leave me alone and then he just got more persistent. Not only did he drag my ass out of bed and got me back on my feet, but he actually tricked me into singing in front of an audience." Petri smiled, shaking his head. "He promised to help me get to New York and find my parents...but we didn't have to go after all."

"What happened?" Rajan asked.

Petri's smile faded. "I said earlier that some harpers had gone on ahead to New York. While I was stuck in the hospital they had come back. Walker intercepted one who was coming to see me and brought me the news himself. There was no more New York City. It's mostly just a crater full of sea water now. They had talked to what survivors they could and tried to piece together a list of names. My mother was definitely killed in that attack and my father was missing, presumed dead. It was hard to hear but I wasn't alone at least. Walker adopted me on the spot, though there's no paperwork to prove anything. The hospital knows him as my legal guardian at least."

"So the man we're going to see is Walker, not your real father," Yugi said softly. "I didn't know...you never told me about your parents..."

"I know," Petri admitted. "But when I went back to Japan, I just wanted you all to know I was alright and I didn't want you worrying about me any more than I knew you would seeing my injuries."

"That's also why we have to get your prescription filled in Sacramento then?" Rajan guessed. "They don't just hand out morphine."

"No..."

"Who made your mask?" Rishid asked.

"Walker did. He also made my staff. He used to make all kinds of replica weapons before Zorc showed up. Now he makes makes strong weapons and trains people to use them. He says it might be suicidal to try and use them to fight Zorc's shadow creatures but it's all he's good at," Petri smiled a bit. "The man sells himself short really."

"Will you stop growling at me?" Bakura demanded suddenly, glaring at Marik.

"What?" Petri asked, confused.

"It's your fault," Marik growled, shrugging off both Malik and Rajan's attempts to restrain him. He was suddenly on his feet and dragging Bakura up by his red cloak. "It's your fault Zorc is here! You summoned him and because of that Petri was hurt!"

Malik stopped in his tracks, a bit stunned by the logic. Rajan pushed past him, trying to stop Marik but the spike-haired blond quicker and managed to land a punch, hitting Bakura's cheek and knocking him to the ground.

"It's your f***ing fault!" he screamed at the thief, Rajan frantically trying to calm the man down.

"Bakura-" Rishid began, but the thief got back to his feet, spitting blood to one side and wiping his mouth.

"I don't need this," Bakura snarled, stalking out of the room.

* * *

AN: Yet another example of Marik's inability to control himself. His logic should be pretty obvious but I feel the need to elaborate so I shall:

Petri was hurt. It was one of Zorc's shadow monsters that hurt Petri. Zorc was summoned by Bakura.

If only he knew that it was Akunadin that's really to blame.

But what will happen? Bakura's leaving and is all hurt and angry D: Oh noes!

I actually was going to go a bit further but seeing as I'm at 12 pages (and over 6000 words) I think I'll set the cliffhanger right there and you'll just have to wait :3

(1) I used a random name generator and it came up with Walker Westfall. Walk Bo was the name of a Druid in the Shannara series by Terry Brooks and was one of my favorite characters. Westfall is a zone in World of Warcraft. You can guess why I picked this name XD

We'll be meeting Walker up in Sacramento where we will learn something cool about him. What is this cool thing? Well you'll have to wait and find out :3


	19. 18:Memories of the Past

AN Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I moved from North Carolina to Florida and have been spending a lot of time with my family and friends (and boyfriend :3). Add to that a horrid case of writer's block and you don't get any updates.

I'll see if I can't resolve that and get some more written soon!

Oh and if you play World of Warcraft, the pre-Cata event has started and will apparently end with Deathwing flying over certain zones and leaving a trail of fire, which if you die in the fire you get an achievement (lol). Plus a lot of elementals are attacking and cultists are roaming about. Lots of fun to be had if you're into that. I, on the other hand, have to put a cap on my play time so I don't get sucked back into that time sink XD

Anyway, working today and tomorrow but I'll see if I can't get something else updated by the end of the week (or started. Damn I have a lot of stories...) Until then: Enjoy! I hope it all makes sense but feel free to ask if something doesn't! Thank you for reading and/or reviewing!

* * *

Bakura refused to return to the inn, much to Bast's annoyance. Instead he focused on ignoring the deity as he took to the streets, ignoring the strange looks his appearance earned. Bakersfield was in fairly good shape all things considered. A few market stalls had been set up near the railroad tracks where goods were offered to those in need with only a few demanding some sort of compensation. In general there seemed to be a more relaxed atmosphere though there was always an undercurrent of fear.

After several hours of walking aimlessly Bakura easily snatched food and a worn blanket before finding a secluded place to sleep. He was relieved that Bast seemed to be leaving him in peace for the moment as he drifted off.

As he slept he had a vivid dream where he was alone in a ridiculously luxurious room. The walls were marble with golden paintings of Egyptian origin depicting some ritual or another. His eyes didn't stay on them long enough for him to even attempt to decipher either the images nor the hieroglyphics, instead falling to a large four poster with silken sheets and draperies. In the center of the room were a large, round pool built into the floor for bathing that steamed invitingly. Beside it stood a sturdy table made mahogany and well polished with gold trim baring a sumptuous meal of fine meats, vegetables, fruits, and wine all served on high quality dishware.

It was more fabulous than anything the thief could have imagined for himself and he personally wished to indulge himself in the rich luxury that was offered freely. Yet he found he had no control of his body and that said body did not share his guilty desires. After realization began to sink in that this was, in fact, a dream Bakura began to notice a strange feeling of loneliness. Of isolation and depression.

Bakura awoke with a start, his head feeling heavy and hazy. He shook it slowly to try and dispel the sensation as much as to forget the dream but it lingered in the back of his mind as did the strange emotions. Forcing himself to ignore it all, he got up and began striding through the town once more, everything seeming much darker and grimier in comparison to what he had seen in his dream.

_"Have you considered that Marik may have been right?"_

Bakura paused mid-step, recalling the conversation with the blond yami. 'You honestly think Ryou is living some paradise lifestyle somewhere in this hell?' he asked, surprised that he would refer to the earth's current state as "hell". He shook his head and nimbly escaped to the roof tops.

_"Truthfully it doesn't seem possible,"_ Bast admitted. _"I know he is watched closely by Zorc. Pampering isn't something Zorc is known for."_

Bakura snorted, leaping to another roof silently. 'Which is why it's ridiculous to think that that _dream_ had anything to do with Ryou. Now go back to leaving me alone.'

_"You have to go back to them,"_ Bast informed him as a parent might lecture an erring child. _"Without your help they cannot succeed against Zorc and without their help you cannot pass on from this world."_

"Yeah, starting to not care so much," Bakura snapped aloud. "Go back and deal with Marik trying to break my neck, Malik harassing me, and the others in general for however much longer I have to endure their presence _or_ go back to being a thief full time and f*** everything else. Since I happen to prefer my neck intact-" he leapt to another roof as he spoke- "I think they can just go f-ahrg!" His words were cut off as he was suddenly blinded by white hot light, tumbling onto the roof as he fumbled his landing and rolled onto his side, his hand pressing to his eyes to try and relieve himself of the pain that seemed to slowly radiate from his neck throughout the rest of his body.

_"Enough."_ Bast words roared like thunder in his ears. _"You _will_ return to the others and you _will_ continue this journey. You have seen but the figurative tip of the iceberg of the devastation and ruination your actions brought to this world. People around you are suffering and cling to what little hope they have left that this world might yet be saved. Instead of feeling any remorse for your actions you would be selfish? When you alone are the only one who can reverse this damage?"_ She paused, letting the thief writhe in pain a moment longer before allowing it to subside.

Bakura rolled onto his back, panting to try and regain his breath and blinking at the darkness, wondering vaguely if he had been permanently blinded. He felt Bast's presence as though she were kneeling beside him, a hand gently petting his face.

_"In truth, Bakura, I need you to succeed," _she said quietly. _"I know you do not want to be here. Please give Marik another chance. Give the others a chance. Give the _world_ a chance. I would rather have your assistance voluntarily."_ After a moment she rose and took a step back. _"I'll be watching you but I will give you some space for now. The others will be leaving in about ten hours. Don't keep them waiting."_

After several minutes of silence Bakura pushed himself up, his eyes readjusting at last to the shadows that clung to the world. The rebellious part of him wanted to tell Bast off and go about his merry way but he knew it would be pointless if she could "shock" him into submission again.

Still he didn't hurry in returning to the others, lingering around town and silently sulking at the revelation that he really had no choice but to do as he was told.

He found his way to the roof of the inn, looking down over the people shuffling through the streets below. It did begin to strike him as odd that no one seemed to be living on the streets or starving. Many were on the thin side and a few seemed to be depressed or delusional. One man was occasionally shouted something and waving his arms as if trying to get other people to listen to him but all he seemed to receive for his efforts was a sympathetic glance here and there so Bakura assumed he wasn't saying anything important.

"Phew, the crazy really do come out at night don't they?"

The thief glanced up as the butt of a staff smacked against his hip.

"Mind if I sit here?" Petri asked, smiling brightly as he plopped down beside Bakura without waiting for an answer. As he set his staff down between them and stretched his arms over his head the thief noticed his face was again half-hidden by bandages. "I swear, if I have to sing '/Don't Stop Believing/' one more time in the next 24 hours, I'm going on strike. That's one reason I like traveling in Japan part-time. A lot of people here seem to want to here the same songs again and again." He paused to take a deep breath, giving the thief a moment to jump into the conversation. "Maybe it wouldn't get to me so much if I could have even a taste of alcohol but no-o. Rajan and Ramses won't let me have anything stronger than water." He stuck his tongue out and made a face. "Yeah, I guess they're just looking out for my well being and all, but it's such a pain in the ass. Enough about me though, what have you been up to?"

"How did you know I was here?" Bakura demanded irritably.

Petri scoffed, grasping for where he thought Bakura's arm might be. "Wearing that bright red robe? How could I **not** find-wow! This is some nice material!" the teen commented, bringing his other hand over to grope the fabric as well. He whistled and flashed a grin at the thief. "Does it come in blue?"

Bakura grunted, jerking his arm away from Petri, scrowling.

The teen pouted a bit before sighed and throwing his hands up in mock exasperation. "Some people have no sense of humor!" Smiling again, he leaned back on one hand so that he could leisurely turn his face to Bakura. "Alright fine, I had asked Malik and Yugi to keep an eye out for you. Malik spotted you when you came back and let me know, which sent Ramses into a fit but he can get over himself. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you."

"Whatever," Bakura muttered, shrugging.

"Well first I wanted to thank you for the medicine," Petri began. "After talking it over we finally agreed to keep the whole bottle so long as it wasn't in my possession. Yugi's going to hang onto it and refill my little pill bottle from it. That way if we get separated I have enough to get by."

"Why don't you just keep all of it on you?" Bakura asked curiously, raising a brow.

"I would if I trusted myself," Petri chuckled before his face became serious. "Two reasons actually. First of all, there is always a chance that I can get robbed. That's what happened to me in Japan. Someone stole a full bottle of my morphine while I was singing one night. It's why I had to rush back to the states, though in the end it was a good thing I guess," he added thoughtfully. "If I hadn't there's a chance you'd have never found me. I don't keep to a specific route when I get here after I leave Sacramento and I have to blend in to survive. I don't even have a Millennium Item on me so you wouldn't have bee able to track me down either, as far as I know. But I digress.

"The second thing is that morphine, as with a lot of pain meds, is addictive. I'll even admit there have been times I've dug a pill out and had it in my hand before I managed to talk myself out of taking it. It's hard enough fighting that urge with limited supplies, I don't need to be carrying around a constant reminder of how much I have access to." Petri paused a moment as he shifted his position so that he sat facing Bakura. "I still need to check in with my doctor as well as my dad but after that I should be good on medicine for a good while. I don't approve of stealing but...well it will be one less thing for us to worry about and we can't go running around looking for more every time I run out so in the end...I guess it was the right thing to do?" he shrugged helplessly. "I'll feel guilty about it-"

"Don't," Bakura cut him off. "I got it because you need it to function and we can't be carrying your ass around every time you run out. You're no good to us if you're in constant pain," he added firmly.

Petri pursed his lips thoughtfully before a smile spread across his features. "I understand. Thank you, Bakura." He paused for a moment, seeming to give the thief a chance to speak before he continued. "Can I ask something?"

The thief shrugged nonchalantly before recalling how pointless the gesture was and flatly said "Sure."

"Alright. Why did you help Zorc?" His smile was gone and his features were calm as he brought up a hand. "I want to know what all of this is about. I want to know more about _you_."

Bakura stared at the teen for a moment. For a moment he considered leaving, confident he could do so without the teen noticing. After the moment passed, however, he realized that he had never spoken of what had happened that day in Kul Elna let alone his partnership with Zorc. Then again no one had ever really asked before.

Bakura blinked, realizing that Petri was patiently waiting for him to say something. He swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling dry, and turned his focus to the dark sky above them, watching dark clouds ominously swirl overhead.

"Thousands of years ago," he began, "armies were baring down on Egypt. As I understand it, the Pharaoh, Aknamkanon, told his advisers to do whatever was necessary to protect the people. He even authorized the creation of the Millennium Items." He cast a side-long glance at the teen to see his reaction. "He didn't even care that an entire village was wiped out in the process."

Petri's expression remained neutral though his head tipped back slightly. "An entire village?"

"Ninety-nine people," Bakura confirmed, narrowing his eyes slightly and glancing upward. "Solders bore down on the village led by Aknamkanon's own brother-Aknaden," he growled, practically spitting out the name. He clenched his fists but managed to bring his voice to a normal speaking tone again. "They forced everyone down into an underground storage area an used a ritual to...to..."

Baura's vision became unfocused as his mind was transported back to the time. The screams. Men and women weeping in fear, praying for mercy and aid from the gods as they were ushered along a plank and into a cauldron one by one. Men, women, children, and even the guards themselves.

All while a lone child watched from the shadows, forever scarred by what he witnessed...

"Bakura," Petri's voice snapped, yanking the thief's mind back to the present. Bakura gasped for air, suddenly aware that he was breathing hard and drenched in sweat. Hands grasped his left arm and shoulder and he noticed that Petri was kneeling beside him now, worry evident on the visible portion of his face.

"They all died," Bakura said finally, his statement firmly implying that he would rather not go into detail. "And their sacrifice created these...cursed trinkets."

"The village...your village, right?" Petri asked, stating what Bakura hadn't. "That's..." he shook his head softly. "No one else...survived?"

"No one," Bakura replied bluntly. "Even the priests or mages or...whatever they were that Aknaden brought with him..." he winced suddenly, bringing his right hand to his head and his eyes darting around a bit as though he was looking for something.

_"Bakura?" _Bast's voice asked softly.

"What happened...after...?" Petri asked after a long pause.

Bakura looked up suddenly, his eyes widening. "I don't remember..."

"...It was a long time ago," Petri said. "And after what-"

"No, you don't understand," Bakura cut him off, pushing him away and holding his head in his hands. "I _can't_ remember what happened after that. Bits and pieces...flashes of things...attacking the Pharaoh...that I remember. Robbing Aknamkanon's tomb, challenging the Pharaoh's son, trying to avenge my village...I remember that clearly." His eyes widened further. "No...no that's not what happened the first time around...I'm remembering what happened in that Shadow Game-Bast!" He shouted suddenly, getting to his feet and looking around him. "Bast, what the f*** did you do to my memories!"

_"Nothing,"_ Bast replied, his words laced with sadness. _"I have no control over what you can or cannot remember, Bakura."_

Bakura's arms fell to his side, wanting to be angry with Bast but feeling the sincerity in her words. He sank to his knees and pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes, trying to remember how he had gotten from that dark hiding place in Kul Elna to Domino City: to Ryou.

Ryou. He could remember clearly the day he met the pale boy who became his host/landlord. He could count every soul he had trapped, banished, killed, and/or tortured through the years for so much as looking at his host wrong. Before Ryou he vaguely recalled another time and place among Romans and a man called Alexander the Great.

However there were many gaps in his memories. Somehow he had grown up and he had become a master thief. He had confronted the Pharaoh who's name had been lost to time, but the true encounter was overshadowed by the events of their last confrontation where circumstances had been different.

'Was it fifteen years? I was around twenty, wasn't I?' Bakura wondered, squeezing his eyes shut. He lifted his head from his hands when he felt Petri tug at his sleeve.

"The harder you try to remember, the harder it will be," the harper said, tilting his head slightly. "Memory's a funny thing like that, doubly so if you're trying to remember something from so long ago. There was some song I remember hearing before by some woman...let's see..." he hummed to himself a bit, trying to find the words. "Something like...'Memories...light the corners of my mind...' um...hmm hm hmmm hm hm hmm 'May be beautiful and yet/ what's to painful to remember/we simply choose to forget'(1)..." he made a face. "Well, that's the part I was trying to remember anyway," he added sheepishly. "But what I'm trying to say is that maybe you forgot for a reason, you know? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder I think it's called."

"What would you know about it," Bakura grumbled, rearranging himself to a more comfortable position and pressing the heel of one hand to his forehead. "What the f*** do you think you know."

"That I've been through some shit too," Petri huffed, sitting beside Bakura again. "You seem to have forgotten that too. My brothers and I were killed by the priests. Of course...I was killed first. Probably because I was the weakest and they knew I would go down easily."

Bakura blinked and turned his attention to the teen, not willing to admit that he indeed had forgotten that detail.

"I was scared, you know," Petri continued, his arms hugging to his chest. "But I was also excited because Ramses' excitement was contagious, you know? It was like...I didn't even know what I wanted to do with my life but up until that moment I had always thought I would be a fisherman, like our dad...but that maybe I could be something more. Something I had never even considered...And then I was dead. No ceremony, I don't even know what they did with my body after that but I imagine they just...Wow, this is a really disturbing topic...like...super morbid..." he forced a laugh and shook his head. "To be honest though...I can't remember everything from that life. I can remember all the time I spent with Ramses and Rajan. We did a lot of crazy stuff back then and got in trouble a lot. But I can't remember our parents...I guess because they didn't really have time for me..."

"Why do you say that?" Bakura asked before he could catch himself.

"Hn, how could they have time? With Ramses always in trouble and Rajan studying to be a scribe and Zahira and Aasera being the youngest and needing extra attention...We had a big family. Easy enough for me to go unnoticed unless I was in trouble, which, I might add, was no where near as much as Ramses was."

"So I've gathered. Why do you call him Ramses anyway? He demands we call him "Marik"," Bakura pointed out.

"...I don't really talk to him anyway," Petri admitted quietly. "Is it wrong that I don't feel comfortable around them?"

The thief raised a brow, eying the teen. "They're your brothers."

"They _were_ my brothers..."

Bakura shrugged, not knowing what to say and cursing himself as he recalled that the gesture went unnoticed. "I'm not exactly the right person to talk to about this."

"I was an only child this time around...and now the city I grew up in is a crater, my parents are dead, and I don't know if anyone I grew up with survived. I'm used to taking care of myself and dealing with my problems alone. Suddenly two people I've never met in my life...in this life...show up and want to be in my life again...I'm so confused about what to do..." Petri sighed. He opened his mouth to speak again when Bakura interrupted him.

"It's not confusing. They're your brothers, blood is irrelevant," the thief snorted. "You even have a man you have never _seen_ acting as your father, right? Honestly, at least you have people that give a damn about you, not that I could blame you for wanting to deny being related to that porcupine-headed demon."

Petri snickered, a smiling tugging at his lips. "Yeah, but Rajan and I tried denying it before. Maybe I could get away with it now," his mouth stretched into a grin and he tugged at his hair. "So long as I keep my roots touched up maybe people would believe it, huh?"

"Pfft, not even if you dyed your hair pink and purple," Bakura chuckled. "You still look related."

"Aw man, seriously? That's bullshit," Petri huffed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "I mean, you can't see half my face and my hair's _much_ cooler than Ramses'! Hell we're not even blood-related anymore and I still can't shake him? There's no justice in the world!"

Bakura laughed at the harper's outburst for a moment before he caught himself. "How did you do that?"

"What, change the subject and get you to smile and-or laugh like a loon?" Petri asked, still grinning brightly. "It's my job." He hugged his knees to his chest, his grin fading. "So getting back on topic, you were there when all this started...with the Millennium Items and Ka spirits and what not...Somewhere along the line you joined Zorc. Was it so you could avenge your village? Did he tell you what he wanted in return?"

Bakura shrugged again, for his own benefit. "You remember what it was like back then but you have no idea how hard it was to survive alone. No one cared about me and I had no one to turn to. I learned to take what I needed and do as I pleased all just so I could grow strong enough to see the Pharaoh die for what he had allowed to happen to my village."

"And it's hard to care about a world that doesn't care about you," Petri muttered thoughtfully. "But you don't-"

"No, I don't remember when I met Zorc. Just that we had a deal. He would help me get my revenge if I would set him free. We both got what we wanted," Bakura said, his voice low as he looked to the sky again.

"I think I understand..." Petri said, turn his face skyward and sighing. "Do you feel any loyalty to him at all anymore now that you've got what you wanted?"

Bakura made a face as he dwelled on the question silently. 'Do I feel loyal to Zorc?' "Meh," he replied finally.

Petri nodded, satisfied with that answer. The silence stretched comfortably between them for a time, both lost in their own thoughts.

"One more question," Petri began, his voice suddenly tinged with nervousness. "You said before that our Ka are a part of us. that Obelisk only saved me because he would die too...but I have to wonder if he's the only reason I'm still alive...if I wouldn't be able to live with the pain of my injuries if Obelisk wasn't with me right now...When this is over...I have a feeling, or maybe it's what Obelisk is trying to tell me...but I get the impression that if we manage to beat Zorc that our Ka spirits will leave. If that happens...will I die?"

"You worry too much about the future," Bakura tsked.

"Yeah yeah, everyone dies someday but...I guess I just want to know the odds, you know?" Petri asked, turning his face toward the thief.

"Bast?" Bakura asked, rolling his eyes. After a moment he returned his attention to Petri. "Yes, if we manage to defeat Zorc then what follows will seal away the Millennium Items as well as all Ka spirits still lingering in this world," Bakura reported. "And you'll be fine so quit worrying about it."

Petri sighed in relief. "Thanks. Both of you. I mean it too. It really does put my mind at ease. I should get back, people are going to think I got killed by you or some shadow demon," he grinned. "Give me a hand up?"

Bakura rolled his eyes and stood, turning around to offer the teen a hand and hauling him to his feet as well. Unexpectedly Petri suddenly lunged forward and wrapped his arms around the thief's waist.

"Geeze man, loosen up," Petri chided as Bakura stiffened in response. "You act like you've never been hugged before."

Slowly Bakura relaxed and loosely wrapped an arm around the teen, patting him on the back. "Happy now?"

"Yep!" Petri grinned, releasing the thief and walking straight to his staff. "Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's back to work I go," he sang, giving the staff a twirl before heading back to the door leading back into the building, all the while whistling a tune the thief was unfamiliar with.

_"You didn't tell him what I told you,"_ Bast said, mildly amused.

'All you told me was that you didn't know what would happen,' Bakura scoffed, casting a glance around the roof before sitting down again. 'I think he'll be fine.'

_"So you told him what he needed to hear,"_ Bast smiled. _"In this case, it may have been the best choice to make really."_

'Are you going to do that 'talking' thing again?' Bakura thought irritably. 'I was enjoying not having to listen to you.'

* * *

"Is everything alright?" Yugi asked as Petri made his way back down the stairs.

"Hmn, pretty good I think," the teen replied, reaching a hand to his friend as he reached the bottom step. "I learned some interesting things to say the least. Malik could you get the others and bring them to my room? I think we need to have a meeting."

"Why? What did Kitty tell you?" Malik asked.

Petri smiled, taking a hold of Yugi's elbow. "The faster you get everyone together the sooner you find out now don't you?"

* * *

AN: Gawd this took forever to write. I think I broke my writer's block though so we'll see if I can update more things quickly :3

Bakura's having memory problems. Why? Well you see the thing is-Oops! Out of time! *runs away*

(1)Barbra Streisand: The Way We Were. This song will likely come up again :p


	20. 19:Code Word: Jace and Chandra

AN: I'm still alive I swear!

Things have been hectic for me. I really do want to get back on top of all my stories and I'll keep working on them until they are done.

Any questions, comments, concerns, don't hesitate to ask. Thank you for reding and cookies for reviews!

* * *

Petri sat silently at the head of his bed leaning against the head board and allowing the others a chance to full absorb and react to what he had learn about Bakura.

"So what?" Marik growled, breaking the silence after a moment.

""So what"?" Rajan repeated, astounded by Marik's reaction. "He lost his family-his entire village-when he was younger. It explain a lot..." he trailed off, fingering the Millennium Ankh that rested against his chest.

"That doesn't excuse what he's done," Marik snapped.

"It explains why he wanted revenge against the Pharaoh," Malik pointed out firmly. "Not to mention why he's so screwed up. Can you imagine what-"

"My brothers and I were killed by the high priests for the sake of the nameless Pharaoh! I know what it's f***ing like and I wanted revenge against him too, but I didn't destroy the world in the process," Marik shouted, glaring at the others in turn. "I wanted to see the Pharaoh and those closest to him suffer not only because of what happened to us but for what Hikari was put through in _his_ name!"

"You say that now," Rishid began, placing a hand on Marik's shoulder and earning a snarl. "However you did not care who suffered during Battle City. Do you recall how many were killed? Even while you were repressed, how much influence did your presence have on Malik? How many lives were destroyed to obtain the god cards?"

Marik shoved Rishid away, his eyes practically glowing with rage. "I did what had to be done!"

"And Bakura didn't?" Yugi asked thoughtfully. "He was a little kid and had just lost his village. He doesn't remember most of his past life so we don't even know how he survived on his own. All we really know is that at some point he got mixed up with Zorc. But when? And why?"

"A promise at revenge, certainly," Petri nodded. "He remembers that a deal was made."

"Then there is no point in arguing," Marik snarled, turning in a way that made his cloak flow dramatically behind him. "He admits to making a deal with the devil so he deserves no sympathy."

"Bakura's not asking for sympathy," Petri pointed out, causing the irate blond to pause in his retreat. "If he wanted us to feel sorry for him all he had to do was tell us his story from the beginning. He only told me because I asked and even then he said he had never told anyone else. He doesn't expect us to understand him or forgive him. He's only here with us because he's been told to stop Zorc and Bast is along to make sure he does. We need him and we need to work with him if we want to have a chance at beating him."

"I still hate him," Marik grumbled, some of his anger having tapered off.

"No one's trying to make you like him."

Marik shot the harper an annoyed glare before leaving, making certain to slam the door behind him.

"What about the rest of us?" Rajan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What do you mean?" Malik asked. "How do the rest of us deal with Bakura knowing what we do now?"

"We shouldn't treat him any differently than we have been," Rishid replied. "As Petri pointed out, Bakura doesn't want our pity."

"It'll be hard not to say something though," Yugi sighed. "Maybe we can give him a little more breathing room at least. We know now that even if he runs off he'll come back but that doesn't mean we have to push him away."

"Marik's doing a good job at that on his own," Malik huffed, getting to his feet. "We're leaving in a few hours. We should get what sleep we can before we head out."

The others murmured agreement and began to filter out of the room, each busy with their own thoughts.

* * *

If Bakura noticed at all in the following week that Malik had stopped calling me "kitty", he showed no sign of gratitude. He kept mostly to himself outside of his lessons with Rajan and Yugi and he was slowly learning some English, though he felt it was hardly enough to be useful. While the others gave him his space without question, Petri made it a point to sit beside the brooding thief and talk, not caring whether his conversations were one-sided or not. Rishid had taken it upon himself to get a notebook in Bakersfield and quietly documented their travels by firelight every time they stopped.

Marik peered over Rishid's shoulder on the third night of their travels, curious as to what the man was doing. When Rishid calmly explained, the yami had scoffed and told him it was a waste of time before becoming distracted by how closely Petri had set himself to Bakura.

Rishid sighed, sticking his pencil into his journal and closing it before catching Marik's cloak before he could get too far away.

"Leave them alone."

Marik snarled and glared down at Rishid, trying to tug his cloak free. "I will not let him corrupt my brother."

Rishid glanced over at the pair. "Petri approached Bakura," he pointed out. "If anything, he's only trying to help Bakura."

"He doesn't deserve our help," the yami spat, stumbling as Rishid suddenly jerked his cloak.

"Take a lesson from your brothers, Marik. They do not scorn Bakura for what has happened. We all have the same goal, despite our reasons. If you have nothing productive to say, then say nothing and mind your own affairs."

Marik's expression faltered, the words seeming to affect the blond more than Rishid had expected. With a growl, he snatched his cloak from Rishid's hand before stalking off away from Bakura.

"You reminded him of something his parents told him," Malik explained once Marik was out of ear shot. "I'm too tired to really try to figure out with one said it though. I think his mother."

Rishid regarded his younger brother a moment before smiling and clapping him on the shoulder. "Perhaps that will at least give us some peace for the evening."

The remainder of the trip was strangely uneventful, though everyone was on guard lest Zorc attempt another attack. As they reached Sacramento, they left their horses at the stable and found an inn to rest for the night, Petri managing to sweet talk to innkeeper into giving them all food and drink in exchange for his performance.

"Tomorrow we'll go to my dad's place," he told them through a yawn after he had finished what he simply referred to as his "harper duties". "He's on the north end of town, a couple hours walk from here. After that we'll swing by the inn up that way and then the hospital. After that I'll have done everything I need to do."

"I almost wish we could stay here longer," Yugi admitted, rolling his shoulders to try and ease some of the tension build up from riding for two weeks.

"Well my dad might want us to stay over at his place tomorrow," Petri admitted, "and usually I stick around longer to pick up news from any runners or harpers that stop by. Since we'll be heading east, though, I can learn what I need to and pass on what I know on the road. It's going to take months for us to get across the country. Do we even know where we need to head next?"

"Bakura?" Malik asked the silent thief, prodding him in the arm.

"No. I haven't picked up on any items," Bakura grumbled.

"Well we'll have to figure something out," Petri sighed. "Plus while we're on this side of the world there's also Canada, Mexico, and all of South America to consider..." he paused, hearing the others stop where they were and realizing that no one had probably given the other countries much thought.

"Bakura, what's the range on the Ring's ability to locate items," Rajan asked.

"If I know where another item is, I can find it at any distance," the thief replied after a moment's thought. "Other than that I don't know."

"Great," Malik grumbled.

"We'll figure something out," Rajan said, repeating Petri's sentiment. "I'm almost too tired to think right now though. Good night." He got a half-bow to the others and entered the nearest of the rooms they had been provided, Marik and Malik following him. Rishid and Bakura to the next one leaving Petri and Yugi alone in the hall.

"What's on your mind, Yugi?"

Yugi sighed, shaking his head and guiding the blind teen to their room. "Just...I hadn't really thought about how long this trip would be..."

"Worried about your grandfather?" Petri guessed. "Ra's protecting Domino City so he's safer than we are."

"..."

"What aren't you telling me?" After a long pause, Petri pulled Yugi into a warm embrace. "The others will watch him for you, Yugi. If he dies before you see him again-"

"I know," Yugi sighed, shaking his head. "We have to keep focused on what we're doing."

Petri pulled back and offered his friend a smile before getting ready for bed, oblivious that Yugi hadn't returned the expression. He slept fitfully that night, worrying over his friend and family and plagued by dreams of what Zorc might do to them.

* * *

Petri led the others through Sacramento once they were all up and fed. A few people called greetings to him which he acknowledged with a wave. Most seemed too occupied with their own errands to notice the group.

"Actually, they're used to me leading people through the city," he mentioned, almost to himself.

"How come?" Malik asked, but Petri shook his head.

"I'll explain later," he said, increasing his pace. He stopped before a long, squat building, the words "Sacramento Sky Ranch Aviation Products" still visible, taking up most of the side of the building.

"Is this it?" Rajan asked, curious when Petri didn't move closer to the building than the sidewalk.

"...I...think it is..." Petri replied, frowning. "It should be right here, but it's too...quiet. And someone should have come out by now...Sacramento Sky Ranch?"

"That's what it says," Malik confirmed. He reached behind himself, fingers curling around the shaft of the Millennium Rod, and stepped toward the building. "We won't find out anything by standing out here."

Bakura grunted, following after the blond and decidedly ignoring the growl he had earned from Marik, who moved to place himself between Bakura and Malik. They hadn't gone ten feet when the doorr flew open, a tall man rushing out to greet them.

The man held up a lantern to reveal his face to the group, smiling warmly and looking over the group with amber colored eyes. His skin was obviously tanned and his hand a sandy blond color with a few hits of gray. He wore a simple outfit consisting of a black short sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans.

"/Well look what you've brought home with you this time, Gamer,/" the man chuckled.

"/Can't keep them though,/" Petri replied nonchalantly, shrugging. "/They just followed me home./"

"What?" Bakura asked, only understanding a couple of words. Yugi shrugged helplessly at him when Rajan didn't reply.

"/Ah well, suppose I'll feed them tonight. Meanwhile you're just in time. Jace and Chandra are in my office. We were just talking about you./"

Petri nodded after a brief pause. "I'll explain later," he told the others cryptically before heading toward the building. "/Go easy on them old man./"

"/Not too old to take you over my knee,/" the man taunted before turning his full attention to the others. "/The name's Sakani. Don't know where you boys are headed and you don't have to tell me why you're here, but so long as you're here I could use a hand./"

Bakura smacked Rajan's arm with the back of his hand, trying to get his attention. "What is he saying."

Rajan blinked, shaking himself and hurriedly filling them in.

"/Long story short, we're evacuating and relocating and there's still some stuff that needs to be loaded on the wagons out back. Most of my boys are already gone so I could use the extra hands. In exchange you'll get a hot meal and a warm place to sleep. I'll also let you restock whatever you need. Fair trade?/"

"/That sounds more than fair, Sakani,/" Rishid replied, stepping forward.

"/Great. Follow me and I'll show you what needs doing./"

As Sakani led them inside, Rajan and Marik fell behind the others.

"-Why didn't Petri tell us,-" Marik growled in Arabic, his eyes focused on Sakani.

"-Think about it,-" Rajan replied lowly. "-Petri met him after he lost his sight. He's never _seen_ him before.-"

"-How could he not know!-" Marik demanded, almost too loud but his brother motioned for him to be quiet.

"-The same way I didn't recognize Petri when I first saw him. And the same way...Sakani doesn't recognize us.-" Rajan caught the disbelief in Marik's eyes and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "-I really don't want to talk about this right now.-"

"-...I do.-"

"/Problem boys?/" Sakani asked, noticing the pair had fallen behind. Rajan and Marik exchanged a glance and the former shook his head.

"/Sorry, it's nothing. What were you saying?/"

Sakani regarded them a moment before leading them out a back door. A long, flat car was being loaded by two other men. Most of the items were bundles wrapped in burlap or leather and hastily tied.

"/We're relocating to another facility. What we're packing now is the last of our essentials and wares. When we finish getting it loaded the last of my boys will head out. I won't be leaving until.../" he paused and chuckled softly. "/Well, actually I'll be leaving tomorrow it seems. I didn't expect Gamer back so soon./"

"/What are they loading now?/" Malik asked, edging closer to the cart.

"/Hm? Sword blades, staves, various other metal components. The bulk of the load will be two anvils and the more men there are to load them up the easier it will be,/" Sakani replied smoothly, smiling to himself. "/The new place is supposed to have anvils and the like but I prefer my own and if they're going to uproot me then my babies are coming too./" He gestured to a storage shed where two others were curiously studying the new comers. "/Everything is in there. My boys will show you what they're doing and explain things. I would stay but I need to go have a word with Gamer./"

Bakura snorted, eying the shed and not pleased with being drafted to work. "He's going to trust people he doesn't know to be alone with weapons?"

"/There a problem?/" Sakani asked, raising a brow.

"/Eh, well Bakura was wondering how you could trust strangers so easily with your work,/" Rajan translated.

Sakani blinked and looked over the group before returning his gaze to Rajan and offering a smile. "/Why shouldn't I trust you?/" He started back toward the building and added "/Any friend of Gamer's is a friend of mine./"

"Let's get to work," Rishid stated, heading toward the shed. "The sooner we finish the better."

"Why do we have to help him at all?" Bakura griped, crossing his arms over his chest.

_"Because he's going to pay you in food, shelter, and supplies,"_ Bast offered. Though he couldn't see her, Bakura could picture a smug smile on the goddess' face.

"Because he going to let us restock our supplies and feed us. A little hard work isn't asking much," Yugi said, following after Rishid.

Marik caught Rajan's arm and held him back, staring at him determinedly. The crimson eyed blond sighed.

"-Did you see it? How he looked at us?-"

"Marik..."

"-He knows. He _has_ to know,-" Marik insisted, a note of desperation in his tone.

"-He looked at everyone. I didn't notice anything different in the way he looked at us. Now come on, we have work to do,-" Rajan insisted, shrugging Marik's hand off and moving toward the shed. "-I wish he did remember being our father but I honestly don't think he does.-"

Marik whimpered a bit, casting a glance in the direction Sakani had retreated, and sullenly followed after Rajan.

* * *

(All dialog beyond this point is in English)

"We'll be following the road south and meet up with the caravan in Nevada. From there we'll be cutting south to Mexico and then following the boarder. Last reports we had on Zorc were that he was in the north east and moving west but as you know that can change."

Petri nodded, absorbing the information. He propped his elbows up on the table before him, lacing his fingers and leaning forward. "That's a shame, really. I was planning on heading there next with my party but if they're moving out-"

"You should seriously head north," the man called Jace said. Petri wished he knew what the man looked like or even how old he was. He pushed those thoughts aside, however, needing to focus on the matter at hand. "Head up through Oregon and Washington into Canada and then head east is you must. Don't head too far north though. Reports say there are a lot of forsaken towns up there and most of the population's scattered. Not as heavy death counts up there as in the US but a few of the towns are apparently full of people who would kill you if you so much as whistle out of fear the Zorc would hear you."

"So head north and then east," Petri muttered, wondering how the others would react to the news.

"Or you could come with us," Jace offered. There was a creak from his chair as he shifted followed by the vibrations in the table that told Petri the man was leaning forward and had placed his arms on the table as well. "You've done a lot given your condition. Not to mention being on Zorc's shit list because you somehow lived."

'And because of Obelisk,' Petri added mentally.

"We can keep you supplied with medical care and medication. Plus your dad will be with us, though we'll probably leave him stationed somewhere here if he won't leave those stupid anvils behind."

"Those "stupid anvils" are how I make all those weapons for the resistance, thank you very much," Sakani stated matter-of-factly. Petri smirked at the mock indignation in the man's tone.

"And fine weapons they are," Jace told him agreeably. "But the resistance is moving overseas and those anvils of yours would literally weigh us down."

"Then I'll stay in the US. Either way my boys and I can keep you supplied with whatever you need.

"Back to the point," Petri interrupted, "Why are you moving overseas?"

Jace grunted a bit. "Not my idea. I want to stay and defend America. Apparently White Dragon sent word for us to join him in Spain. I don't have all the details but apparently he's found something over that way that might help in the fight against Zorc. What about you and your party?"

Petri pursed his lips a moment. "I can't give you too many details but we have a plan to stop Zorc as well. I have to go with them."

"Wait, so you all have the same goal as the resistance and would actually be more than welcome to join us but you can't because..."

"Same goal, different means," Petri state bluntly. "Given our enemy, we need as many options as wel can get. Ours might be a bit far fetched but if history is correct-"

"History?" Sakani scoffed. "I'm pretty sure "Giant Demon with a Dragon Penis" would have been in the books if he'd done this before."

"He didn't do it before because he lost last time," Petri said evenly. "When he got loose this time he..apparently-" he added, not wanted to sound too certain lest they press him for more information "-scattered the items needed to seal him away again. We're looking for the items and we have quite a few of them already."

"And you've see..." Jace trailed off, clearing his throat. "And you know for certain-"

"I know what they are," Petri said, leaning down and rummaging through his open bag at his side. He frowned when he didn't find what he was looking for but produced a pocket knife and, as best he could, carved a replica of the eye symbol he had felt on the Millennium Ring onto the table. "They should have a mark sort of like that. There are also small, irregular pieces that fit together to make the last piece."

Jace was silent a moment and then sighed. "Far-fetched but who am I to question anything when the world is like it is. If you change your mind come to Europe and tell people you're looking for Jace and Chandra. I need to head back to Vegas and report in. I'll spread the news about what you learned in Japan as well as those items. We can keep an eye out for them and so can runners."

"So I was hoping," Petri sighed.

"Take care Gamer. Sakani." There was a rustling sound and the scraping of a chair followed by footsteps and a door closing. Petri sighed once he no longer heard Jace's retreating steps and offered a hand to Sakani, who took he between his own.

After a long pause, Petri turned his head toward the older man who had become his family. "So..."

"None of that," Sakani tsked. "We both knew this might happen. Can't say I'm too happy that you won't come with us but you have to do what you have to do. We're bound to run into each other again if we're going the same way. I don't plan on leaving the US and I'll keep the runners informed on where I am and how I'm doing. I expect you to do the same you realize."

Petri sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Want me to fill you in?"

"F*** no," Sakani scoffed, patting the teen's hand. "Come on, we'll cook dinner and you can tell me how _you're_ doing. Come on, you're friends will be starving by the time their done."

* * *

AN: This chapter was like pulling teeth. I blame life for getting in the way though.

Sakani is an male Arabic name according to the name finder I use. I can't help but think of it as a female Japanese name though...

Too tired to think of anything else to write so I'll make my other ANs at the top and post this. *yawn*

Oh and Jace and Chandra are Plainswalkers in Magic: the Gathering. They hate each other.


	21. 20:Bonded

AN: Sorry for the long hiatus. Without further ado: Chapter 20 of SideQuest!

* * *

Bakura sighed, plopping down on the end of the cart and rolling his shoulders. He vaguely wondered how the cart could withstand the combined weight of both anvils as well as all the people it had taken to get them loaded, but he decided he didn't care and never wanted to see them again. He watched as the others made their way inside, thoroughly frustrated that, after nearly two weeks, he still didn't understand half of what was being said.

"Coming Bakura?" Marik called back, the first to notice the thief's absence. He waved a hand dismissively to indicate that he wanted to be alone for a moment.

"So why exactly am I staying behind?" Bakura asked, his eyes scanning the sky. The bell at his throat chimed softly as silver light spread from it. Bast appeared ethereally standing beside him and facing the cart's contents.

_"These weapons cannot compete with Zorc nor his minions," _she said, a note of sadness in her voice.

"I know that," Bakura tsked. "Their worthless and a waste of time and resources."

_"I wouldn't say that,"_ Bast replied. Her form floated through the air, feet lighting atop one of the anvils. _"Come here a moment, Bakura."_

Bakura grumbled, hauling himself up and moving toward her, having to climb over boxes and bundles of weapons.

_"Place your hands flat atop this anvil."_

"Why am I doing this?" the thief asked, complying. Bast knelt down before him, grasping his wrists firmly.

_"So that we can give them a fighting chance,"_ Bast replied. A golden glow spread from her hands to Bakura's own and bled onto the anvil. The thief was forced to close his eyes as everything on the cart was affected. The process lasted only seconds and then the light faded. Blinking and cursing that had to wait a few moments for his eyes to readjust, Bakura removed his hands from the anvil, rubbing his wrists as if to rid himself of Bast's touch.

"What the f*** was that?"

_"I needed your hands to channel some of my power,"_ Bast explained, still perched atop the anvil. _"Now these weapons can actually harm shadow creatures and anything else crafted on these anvils will as well."_

"What's the point?" Bakura tsked, making his way out of the cart. He looked toward the building and waited to see if anyone came to instigate the sudden flash of light.

_"You have noticed that there are many who would defy Zorc. Even if it is only by rebuilding what was lost, they are telling him that they will not be subdued. Those who can fight will do whatever they can to protect their homes. If they could summon their Ka, they would be on their front lines, throwing everything they could at Zorc to defeat him."_

"It didn't work in the past and it wouldn't work now," Bakura said, shrugging his shoulders indifferently. "The only reason Zorc was stopped in the past is because the "nameless" pharaoh sacrificed himself to seal him away. No one can defeat him."

_"No _one_ person can," _ Bast said. _"But that is why you must find Ryou and the remaining items. Once the three lights and three shadows gather and with the aid of the three "god" ka spirits...then we might defeat him."_

""Might"?"

_"Zorc's power is greater that I had anticipated," _Bast admitted candidly. _"However, even if he cannot be defeated, with the Millennium Items he can at least be sealed away once more. It would not be the panacea this world needs, but it would at least give it time to heal."_

"Until he finds another way back," Bakura pointed out bitterly, stalking toward the building. "Sealing him isn't the answer. It was _never_ the answer. If you want to stop him, he has to be destroyed completely. Look at what's happened every time he's been sealed away. He should have been struck down from the beginning."

_"...As some mortals would say, "Victory or death". I suppose that mind set would do us well against Zorc. You are right, Bakura. Sealing him away is not the answer. He must be defeated for once and for all."_

"But we still need the Items..." he paused, his hand resting against the door. The light from the collar faded along with Bast's image and the thief drew his thoughts together before pushing the door open. "Che, what does it really matter. Sealed away or dead, I'll have fulfilled my end of the bargain. Whichever's easier."

Music caught Bakura's attention and he wandered toward it. Rounding a corner he found that a small dining area had been arranged and he breathed in the aroma of whatever had been cooked. A small table had been set up in the middle or the area, marked on the floor indicating that there had been more not too long ago. Make-shift seats had been made of empty crates and everyone was sitting in a loose semi circle facing Petri and Sakani. Candles had been arranged to give some light to the gathering.

He watched silently for a moment, eyes scanning in the dim light. Petri and Sakani led the others in a song he'd never heard before that had a lively beat, the older man playing guitar while the teen slapped at two small, conjoined drums and sang. Marik sat by himself looking distracted while playing with a small stone he had found somewhere. Rajan was speaking quietly to Yugi, mostly likely translating for him. Malik and Rishid were singing with the others men who they had been loading the cart with.

Bakura felt himself taking a step away from the scene, wanting to fade into the shadows. Yugi noticed him, however, and motioned for the thief to join them. Reluctantly, and mostly out of hunger, Bakura sighed and moved toward the short man and Rajan.

"Here," Yugi said, offering him a bowl as he sat down. He eyed it's contents curiously.

"It's chili," Rajan explained, guessing that Bakura hadn't had it before. "It's pretty good."

The thief eyed the lumpy mixture suspiciously before sticking a spoonful in his mouth. He glanced up as the singing and music stopped and saw Sakani standing to address those gathered.

Bakura glanced at Yugi after it became apparent that Rajan wasn't translating for them. The former king of games shrugged helplessly and reached over to tug on the blond's sleeve.

Rajan jumped slightly, shaking his head. "Ah, sorry. It's nothing really important. The guys we were helping load that cart are leaving after they eat. We're free to stay the night but Sakani is leaving tomorrow." He looked away from them suddenly as most everyone else laughed at something that was said. "He's just telling stories now. You aren't missing anything..." he explained distractedly.

"What's on your mind?" Bakura asked nonchalantly as he ate another spoonful of chili.

"Nothing," the blond insisted.

"You're a terrible liar," the thief accused, wagging his spoon in Rajan's direction briefly before continuing to eat. "This stuff's good."

"It's a little too spicy," Yugi remarked, sticking out his tongue.

"Wuss," Bakura taunted, a slight smirk touching his lips. He kept an eye on Rajan as they finished eating, making a note of the other's expression.

Finally, as if coming out of a daze, the blond shook his head and sighed. "Lights out in three hours. We're welcome to do as we please until then so long as we don't do anything to draw attention to ourselves. "Gamer" and Sakani are going to be in Sakani's office if we need them so..." he paused, seeming to lose his train of thought. "...Sorry, I guess I'm getting tired. I'm going to grab Marik and turn in for the night."

"Ok. Good night Rajan," Yugi offered, watching as the blond left before looking to Bakura. "Both Marik and Rajan are acting weird."

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious," the thief tsked. "Whatever is bothering them, let them sort it out. It's not our problem."

"They're our friends though," Yugi protested, keeping his voice down. He noticed the strange look Bakura gave him to that statement and added "well, Rajan is anyway."

""Our"?"

"What could be bothering them," Yugi sighed, munching on his last bit of chili. "Ever since we got here..."

"Since when were they "our" friends?" Bakura tsked, both annoyed and confused at the concept of being considered a "friend" to anyway.

_"Rajan is your friend,"_ Bast pointed out.

'Rajan is my translator. Just because I need to talk to him-'

_"You both get along well even when he isn't translating for you," _Bast interrupted. _"Also there's Petri."_

'Petri talks to everyone. As I understand it, it's his job to be "friends" with everyone,' Bakura thought, his eyes scanning the area only to find the harper and their host had already departed.

_"And Yugi-"_

"Yugi?"

"What?" Yugi responded, the thief mentally cursing at having spoken aloud.

"Nothing," he muttered, motioning to the ever-present bell. "We should probably grab Malik and Rishid since Rajan abandoned us for the evening.

"That's probably a good idea," Yugi sighed, snatching up Bakura's bowl along with his own to add to the pile of dishes that had been left by the others.

* * *

Yugi quietly slipped out of the room he shared with Bakura and Rishid and quietly made his way through the dark building. He had gotten used to navigating in the dark, his right hand extended to the wall so he could keep his bearings.

He hadn't gotten much sleep but then it was something else he had adapted to. His dreams were usually plagued with nightmares about the Pharaoh and Zorc or of his friends and family being killed. Since the final shadow game between Bakura and the Pharaoh three years ago, he had felt entirely responsible. Others had tried to tell him that it couldn't have been his fault, but his of conscious couldn't rest.

He found a set stairway that led up to the roof and sighed as he stared up at the sky, trying to determine what time it was. His hand slipped into his pocket and retrieved a piece of the Millennium Puzzle, his fingers rubbing along it's sharp edges and unyielding surface.

"Somehow, Yami...we'll find all the pieces. We'll get you back," he said, closing his hand on the piece and squeezing his eyes shut. "Then I can tell you..."

A rush of air brushed his cheeks and his eyes flew open, widening further as a pair of red eyes glows at him through the dark. He groped for the door handle as the shadowed creature before him bared sharpened teeth and growled at the short man.

* * *

Bakura awoke with a start, every sense on edge. He leapt out of the small cot he'd been allowed for the night and brought two fingers to his mouth, whistling sharply and rousing Rishid. Almost simultaneously Malik and Rajan burst in followed closely by Marik.

"We've got company," Rajan announced.

"I noticed," the thief tsked.

"Where's Yugi?" Malik asked, glancing anxiously around the room. "We have to get out of here."

Bakura opened his mouth to reply when the Millennium Ring began to glow faintly. He held the item level and watched as the prongs pointed upward before gritting his teeth in annoyance.

"He must be on the roof," he growled, grabbing his robe and moving for the door. "I'll get him, you get Petri and Sakani." Before anyone could protest he was out the door, following the Ring's directions. 'Of course _you're_ conveniently not around, are you Bast?' he thought bitterly. He found the stairs and took them two at a time. The door at the top had a gaping hole through it's center and he could hear Yugi's voice. Without hesitation he burst through the door, a knifing flying from his hand toward the shadow creature the loomed over the shorter man.

The creature hissed as the blade sank into it's side, his attention turning to the thief..

"At least Bast was right," he smirked, producing another knife from his robe and holding it by the blade. "These weapons will hurt shadow creatures. I should have grabbed more while we were loading the cart." With a practiced motion and baring in mind how the other had traveled, he threw the second knife. The creature roared with pain as this one struck it's left front leg, charging toward the thief.

"Bakura!" Yugi cried, reaching out a hand as it would somehow protect the thief from the creature. He felt suddenly light-headed and brought the hand to his head. He wasn't certain how much time had passed before his gaze strayed to the first knife but he scrambled to get it. He had only just closed his hand around the handle when a huge, clawed foot came down before him. Without a second thought he leapt away from the new threat and raced toward Bakura.

The thief had just driven his last available dagger between the first creature's eyes when Yugi latched onto his left arm. He only had a few seconds to register the looming creature was a dragon he had yet to encounter in Duel Monsters before it's mouth opened, a dark purple fire flying toward both Yugi and himself.

* * *

Rajan was quick to send Marik and Malik after Sakani and Petri while he and Rishid made a quick search to be certain everyone else had already left. In short order everyone was outside and staring in disbelief at three dark shapes in the sky above them. Slowly they were beginning to resemble dragons, roaring and howling loud enough to vibrate the air around them.

"/Come on!/" Malik shouted, grabbing both Sakani and Petri and leading them to the shed they had emptied beforehand.

Rajan glanced over his shoulder briefly before turning his attention to the incoming danger. "Threaten my family...my friends..." He clenched his fists, eyes narrowed in defiance. "Osiris!" The air above him was suddenly filled with the Ka's long, twisting body, it's roar echoing Rajan's frustration and anger before it's upper mouth opened, a burst of energy striking the nearest attacker. "There are more coming on the ground. Osiris says they're coming from the north. Only five but they are swift."

Marik growled, spinning around and brandishing the Millennium Rod at the darkness. "Which f***ing way is north Rajan?" He was answer by Rishid firing his gun. He charged in the direction of the attackers, the image of an eye flaring to life on his forehead as he unsheathed the Rod's hidden blade.

Rishid tsked, moving a step closer to Rajan. "I can't fire with him in the way."

"We've got bigger problems," Rajan replied, gritting his teeth. "More creatures are coming. Mostly dragons. Osiris can hold them off but he can't go all out with us here or we could be hurt." He blinked, shifting his focus to Rishid for a moment. "Go after the others and tell them to get out of the area. They aren't safe in that shed, they're sitting ducks. I'll be fine here. Marik and Osiris will keep me safe."

Rishid nodded reluctantly and hurried toward the shed, gun held ready and eyes straining to detect any unnatural movement.

* * *

Sakani watched with some fascination as Malik fretted by the door. Petri stood calmly beside him, his expression carefully neutral.

Malik muttered something in Japanese, annoyance and fear in his tone. He looked away from his vigilance at the door, his body language telling the older man everything he needed to know.

"/We'll need to fight,/" Sakani stated matter of factly, strolling to the back wall. "/Alright you two, listen up. I honestly don't know what your friends think they can do about the amount of Satan out there right now, but they can't hold them off forever and we can't just sit here and wait to die./"

With a sharp kick, part of the back wall broke away to reveal a length of chain that had been hidden behind it.

"/Wait, what are you doing?/" Malik asked, taking a step closer.

"/You think I would send all of my weapons off and leave myself defenseless?/" Sakani asked, grasping the chain. He braced himself and gave it a mighty jerk, breaking the seal he had placed on his hidden cask in the floor. Walking backward, a portion of cement floor lifted way and finally flipped, stirring up a good deal of dust. "/Sorry about that. You any good with a sword Malik?/"

"/What? Well...I can manage-/"

"/Good. Petri, stay close to me. We'll take what we can and make a break for it. With any luck we can get the others to fall back with us. There's an entrance to the sewers not far from here. The dragons can't get to us so we'd just have to worry about ground pursuit./"

"/Sakani-/"

"/Don't argue with me when I'm trying to save your life,/" Sakani cut him off again, tossing a sheathed sword to the blond. "/Petri's fine with his staff but we'll need to be his eyes so stay focused./"

The door burst open suddenly, Rishid's frame blocking the view outside. He asked something in Japanese and Malik responded to.

"/Hey, some of us don't understand moon-speak. What's going on?/" Sakani demanded.

"/He just asked if we-/" Petri began.

"Shit! /Everyone get down!/" Malik shouted, dropping to the ground. The others quickly followed suit without question. A second later the building around them exploded as a large body crashed through it.

"/What the f*** was that!/" Petri demanded loudly.

"/One of the dragons Osiris is fighting,/" Malik explained, carefully rising to his hands and knees.

"/Osiris?/" Sakani asked, looking up. Whatever Malik was going to say next was lost to the older man as he laid eyes on the aerial fight taking place. A bright flash of light from the roof of his former base drew his attention away from it and he wondered what was happening.

* * *

Bakura closed his eyes tightly, his arms finding their way around Yugi's smaller form. He had moved out of instinct more than a desire to shield his former enemy from the dragon's assault. The sudden burst of light had been unexpected as he had been anticipating being burnt to a crisp.

Instead he felt a new sensation wash over him, though it was also vaguely familiar. He even swore he heard a voice accompany it, one that asked him to protect Yugi. His eyes opened slightly as he tried to peer through the light and found that it wasn't harsh but mildly rejuvenating. Looking toward their enemy he found it roaring in pain and moving away from them, the light surrounding them burning away it's body.

The dragon, injured and mutilated, limped into the air and made an effort to escape and the light receded, leaving the thief holding Yugi. Bakura looked down at the shorter man, trying to understand what had just happened. It was when Yugi looked up and their eyes met that he understood it.

"Bakura-"

"I don't get it either," the thief tsked, grabbing Yugi's arm. He half-dragged the shorter man back down the stairs before something else could attack them. He couldn't decide how to feel about the almost electric feeling that ran through his arm and radiated to the rest of his body. He was decidedly not a fan of the pressure in his mind that inadvertently seemed to be reading his thoughts. He would have a long list of questions for Bast when she returned. The gentle jingle from the bell under his chin mocked him as he paused momentarily at the bottom of the stairs.

"...Bakura..." Yugi asked but his voice sounded distant to the thief as he was preoccupied with his own thoughts.

"I know which way we're going, you don't have to tell me," the thief grumbled, leading the way quickly. The building rumbled and the ceiling cracked loudly. Even without light the thief knew they had to hurry. He scooped Yugi into his arms, the other man not arguing the sudden decision. They had just cleared the door when the first large piece fell feet behind them. Without bothering to look back, Bakura rushed toward Rajan.

* * *

"/What was that?/" Sakani wondered aloud. His attention was quickly diverted once more as dark shaps began to take shape around the shattered remains of their shelter. He quickly grabbed one of his swords and unsheathed it. "/We have company./"

"/Oh...shit.../" Malik breathed, fumbling to unsheathe his own blade, lavender eyes flitting about nervously.

"/Four,/" Rishid reported, gripping his gun tightly. "Malik, tell Marik."

"Oh, he knows," Malik replied uneasily. "Any ideas?"

"/Want to include me in what you're saying?/" Sakani asked, now standing beside Petri protectively.

"What?" Petri asked, looking up sharply.

"/Not you to,/" Sakani sighed, shifting his grip and shaking his head.

"(You can help?)" Petri whispered in Arabic, tilting his head slightly, seemingly talking to himself. "(Trust you?)"

"/Petri-/" Malik began, but his question was lost as one of the creatures chose to lunge at blond.

"/Guess we have to fight our way out,/" Sakani said, grunting as he swung his sword at another of the shadowy creatures, slicing off what he assumed had been a limb, possibly an arm.

"(I understand. Yes...)" Petri continued speaking, his arms hanging at his sides, his staff held loosely in his right hand. His hand tightened suddenly and he rushed toward a third attacker, bringing the staff up and striking the formless creature in what served at it's head. With another motion the creature was thrown back several feet and Petri turned to face the fourth.

"/All of you, get to Osiris' Ba./"

"/Petri?/" Rishid asked.

"/There is no time to explain,/" Petri snapped, his voice sounding deeper and more commanding. The teen swung the staff expertly, striking down the shadow creature. "/They will reform, these weapons alone cannot defeat them. Hurry, there is no time./"

"/Come on then,/" Sakani agreed, exiting the shed and prompting Rishid and Malik to do the same.

Petri surprised them again by running unguided toward Rajan. He looked up at the crimson-eyed blond, ignoring Bakura and Yugi who had also just arrived, and gave curt nod.

"Petri will be alright but he will need rest. I've done all I can for now."

Before Rajan could question the cryptic message, Petri stumbled forward a step and slumped forward. Bakura was quicker and caught him before he fell.

"What the hell was that about?" the thief demanded, glaring accusingly at the others.

"Don't know but we need to get out of here. Any suggestions?" Malik asked, looking up at the sky. "/Sakani, do you have any suggestions?/"

The older man replied by racing toward Marik, sword held tightly in his hands. He hadn't heard the question nor had he stopped to wonder about the large red dragon in the sky. He wasn't even worried about the fact that his adopted son had been acting strangely and was now passed out. What he had noticed was that Marik was alone trying to defend himself against a seemingly endless swarm of creatures and that he was about to be jumped form behind.

The spiky haired blond spun to try to avoid the attack, noticing the danger too late to react. A flash of steel deflected the attack and Sakani growled at the attacked, raising a booted foot and kicking the creature back.

"/Didn't I tell you to watch your back? Or at least not to bite off more than you can chew?/"

Marik blinked, baffled until the older man grabbed his arm. "/You remember?/"

"/Run now, ask questions later,/" the older man said firmly, a smile crossing his features. He raced Marik back to where the others stood.

"/We can't keep this up forever,/" Rajan said, clutching his shoulder. "/There are too many for even Osiris to deal with./"

_"B-ku-a"_

Bakura shifted Petri in his arms and wrapped his fingers around the bell, hoping he hadn't been hearing things. "Bast that'd better be you."

_"I'm trying, Bakura"_ Bast replied, her voice faint. _"I can help but only if you make physical contact with Yugi and Malik."_

"Was that Bast?" Yugi asked, staring wide-eyed at Bakura.

The thief nodded, moving his hand from the bell to grab Malik's hand.

"What the hell?"

"Just go with it," Yugi explained hastily, grabbing onto Bakura's wrist and looking up at the thief as if awaiting some command.

The bell began to glow, silver light spreading out like a bubble to encompass the group. Bast appeared then, hovering the center bubble and stretching her arms out to her sides. The bubble expanded instantly, stretching out and chasing away if not eradicating the shadows. Soon only the group remained standing in the fading light, Bast lowering herself to stand beside Bakura protectively.

Osiris vanished from the sky as well, no longer needed, and for a moment no one spoke.

"/Well...that was fun and all,/" Sakani began, taking Petri from Bakura and cradling him in his arms. "/But we don't have time to stand here gawking. Help me grab my weapons and we'll find somewhere safer to talk about...well everything./"

"I don't know what he said, but I'm going to agree with it," Bakura said, strolling after Sakani as he headed toward the remains of the shed.

* * *

AN: Considering I haven't updates in FOREVER, I think this will suffice as a stopping point for this chapter. Hopefully I'll be able to find time to write but I can't promise it will be fast. Things are crazy right now and my situation might be changing in the next few months. Might even have to move.

But I do still plan to finish all my fanfics. Just might take longer than I planned...

There don't seem to be any notes. As for all the questions this chapter raised, you can guess the answers all you want but you'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out what happened *wink*

Oh and lest I forget, Happy Birthday earthluva :D *glomp* (yes, I know you said it was on the 15th but happy early birthday :3)


	22. 21:On The Road Again

AN: Another chapter finally done! I do apologize for the lack of updates lately. And I haven't forgotten about my other stories, I just have a lot of ideas for this one lately.

Hope you enjoy this one because it should get more interesting from here out :3

* * *

Yugi shivered as he made his way through the crowded hospital corridor, two cups of something vaguely resembling coffee held close to him. There seemed to be constant noise everywhere he traveled, which both unnerve him and made him feel helpless. The occasional scream pierced through the rest of the noise and everything would fall silent for a second before resuming.

Yugi squeezed his eyes shut as he passed by a small gathering of mourners outside of one room, a man's voice audibly pleading and broken. He was thankful just then that he only understood a small portion of what he was hearing but equally horrified by how it made him think of his friends and family. He hadn't seen or heard from his parents since before his fateful journey to Egypt. He only knew they were alive because of Petri and his connections and even then all he knew was that they were in a safe house in Brazil, where they had been doing research with his father's company(1). It was wasn't much but it did ease his mind to think they were still safe somewhere.

Meanwhile his grandfather's mental health had been declining and he was an ocean apart form him and his friends on what he hoped would be more than a wild goose chase.

He opened his eyes in time to avoid crashing into someone else and dodged around them, skillfully keeping the coffee he carried from spilling as he continued to a quieter part of the hospital. A lone figure sat before a dark window in a chair pilfered from the waiting room down the hall. Yugi approached quietly but knew that the other was already aware of him.

"I hope it's alright," Yugi said, offering one of the cups to Bakura. The thief reached took it without removing his gaze from the window. He was sitting in the seat backwards, his arms folded on the backrest lazily.

"No but it's better than nothing," Bakura muttered, wrinkling his nose at the smell coming from the cup before taking a swig.

"Petri's awake," the shorter man continued, deciding to accept the thief's words as a thank you. "He seems to be fine and he and Sakani were arguing with a doctor. You didn't miss too much really."

"We miss a lot I think," Bakura stated, taking another gulp of the imitation coffee. He didn't particularly care of the assault on his senses but it did feel better to having something warm in his stomach. "Speaking of missing things: Bast."

_"I'm right here,"_ the goddess replied instantly, appearing beside him in her ethereal way. _"Hello Yugi. You can see me now, right?" _she smiled at Yugi, who nodded in response. _"So you must be wondering what's happened to you both."_

"Can you just get on with it?" Bakura grumbled, slumping in his seat looking a bit like a sulking child.

"Do you know, Bast?" Yugi asked, eying Bakura as he spoke. "It's like we're connected. Like I was with Mou-...we the Pharaoh."

_"You still have a piece of the Puzzle on you, do you not Yugi?"_

The shorter man nodded, fishing an angular piece of gold from his pocket and holding it up. Bast smiled and motioned for him to keep it.

_"Each piece of the Millennium Puzzle contains a fragment of his soul. He can feel your presence, though he is not aware of it nor will he recall such feelings when all of the pieces are reunited."_

Yugi's eyes lit up as he eyed the puzzle piece in his hands with the same wonderment he had when the Millennium Puzzle had first been given to him years ago. "But-"

_"I will explain,"_ Bast said, smiling as she folded her legs beneath herself, sitting in the air. _"The Pharaoh has always been driven to protect you, much as Bakura and Marik were driven to protect Ryou and Malik respectively. Though...Marik lost his focus somewhere near the end...but I digress. You are, in a sense, half of a while. The light that balances the dark. In your case,the Pharaoh and yourself actually did balance one another out. He learned kindness from you while you in turn learned to be stronger. Your bond was probably the strongest of the three pairs._

_And it was this bond that allowed the Pharaoh to do something that I didn't consider. The small part of him sealed in the fragments you've gathered so far have made it possible for you to be linked with Bakura, the same way each "Yami" is linked to a "Hikari". The bond is, albeit, temporary, but it does seem to be strong."_

Yugi's face reddened as a thought occurred to him and Bakura rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I can hear your thoughts. The only reason you can't hear mine is because I'm not letting you. Learn to block your thoughts or get used to it." He tipped his head back, draining his cup and crushing it in his hand.

_"It's not such a bad thing to know what someone else is thinking,"_ Bast mused, a playful smile on her lips. _"You can learn a lot about a person that way. You can do a lot of good that way too if you try."  
_

* * *

"It wasn't me. It was Obelisk that saved us back there," Petri explained, sitting on the edge of his hospital bed. He wore his mask but his bandages were absent for the moment.

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, tilting his head slightly. "You never summoned him."

"I think we would have noticed if...wait," Malik blinked. "Is that who you were talking to in the shed?"

Petri nodded, gripping the edge of the bed slightly. "I...well, I hesitated on summoning him because...I guess I was worried someone might get stepped on." He shrugged slightly and tilted his face toward the ceiling. "He said he could help but I had to trust him. He also warned me that I'd probably pass out from the stress."

"So you let him take control of your body?" Rishid asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Wait, they can do that?" Rajan spoke, raising a brow.

"Bast?" Yugi looked over Bakura's shoulder, catching sight of the goddess behind him.

"Bast says that it's something only Obelisk can do," the thief sighed, folding his arms over his chest. "Just like how Marik can fuse with Ra, among other things. Apparently your Ka are special."

"I don't know how soon I'd do something like that again, though," Petri groaned, holding his head in his hands. "I feel like I got hit by a bus on top of having a hangover from hell."

"Will you be alright traveling?" Rishid asked, moving a step closer to the teen.

"Don't have much of a choice. We have to leave town as soon as possible or we're just endangering more people, right?" Petri forced a grin, pushing himself off the bed. "Just have to put one foot in-ack!"

"Careful!" Marik snapped, lunging forward and helping Petri keep on his feet. "I'll have to carry you," the yami insisted.

"I'll drag myself out of here before I'm carried," the teen rebutted stubbornly. "Where's my bag? I'll be fine, Marik, let go of my arm."

"/Am I missing out on something here?/" Sakani asked from the doorway, planting his hands on his hips.

"/Just Gamer being stubborn as a mule,/" Rajan explained.

"/Good. You have to be stubborn in this day and age. It's how you get things done,/" the blond man laughed, motioning for them to follow. "/Come on outside. I've got a gift for you lot. It should help you get going./"

In short order they followed Sakani outside. "/As long as I was leaving anyway I decided to cash in on some favors I was owed. All of them actually. Two horses and a fine vardo, or so I'm told it's called./"

"Wait, is this man giving us horses and a carriage? For free?" Bakura asked, looking at the others. Rajan gave him a nod and motioned for him to wait for any more explanation.

"/Inside is a double bed, port-a-pot, there's rations stashed under the floorboards, some changes of clothing that I hope fit some of you at least let's see.../"

"/You're really just...giving us all of this?/" Malik asked, shaking his head in disbelief as he moved closer to inspect their wagon. It looked as though stolen from the age where gypsies traveled the land. It was deep red in color with gold trim and rode on white wooden wheels also trimmed with gold. "/But-/"

"/No buts,/" Sakani wagged his finger at Malik. "/There's a guy I know who makes these things for people crazy enough to travel. I had to trade him four of my best swords and remind him who exactly I was before he let this beauty go. That reminds me, there are spare parts under the floorboards too as well as some of the stock I was going to travel with personally. Can't send you boys out weaponless./"

"/That's...wow.../" Rajan breathed. "/What about you?/"

"/What about me?/" the older man grinned. "/I've got a horse and a lighter load to carry now. I also have more connections then I can count that will see me to where I'm going./" He paused and nodded his head. "/It's the least I can do. I don't know exactly what you're off to do, but I know it's something important...Petri,/" he clapped his hand on the harper's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "/You're a strong young man. Don't let anyone treat you otherwise. Rajan, you've always had a good head on your shoulders./"

"/Wait...fa-/" Rajan before, faltering when Sakani grabbed both of his shoulder and gave him a knowing look.

"/Keep your wits about you no matter what lies ahead. Heh, it's good seeing you again./"

Rajan nodded, a smile touching his lips.

"/And Rameses,/" Sakani began, moving toward the now grinning yami. With a quick, sudden motion he grabbed Marik and threw him to the ground.

"/OW! What the f*** with that for!/" Marik snarled, leaping to his feet.

Sakani folded his arms over his chest, undeterred by the sudden display of rage in the yami's eyes. "/You know damn well what that was for./"

"/How could you know about-... .../" Marik's shoulders slumped as realization dawned on his face and for just a moment his expression seemed sober. "/I...I'll be good.../"

Sakani smiled softly and patted him on the shoulder. "/I know you'll try. I hope you find what you need on this journey. It might be closer than you think./" He turned back to the astonished faces of the others and grinned again.

"...What the f*** was that?" Bakura demanded, amazed that Marik had not only been bested but was now looking like a scolded child.

"That was something only our father could do and get away with." Rajan smirked, planting his hands on his hips.

"/You,/" Sakani said loudly and slowly, pointing at Bakura. "/Be good to my boys. I give you present now./"

"/You know I can translate for you.../" Rajan muttered.

"/Nah, I think he'll figure it out,/" Sakani laughed, noting the sour look on Bakura's face. He went to the wagon and returned with a rolled, black canvas package. "/This,/" he indicated to the bundle and pointed at Bakura. "/For you. Take. For you. Is good present./"

The thief growled, having gotten the gist of the older man's shouting some time ago. He took the package and unfurled it slowly, his eyes lighting up as he found it was more knives identical to the two he had stolen earlier except smaller for throwing.

"/Don't think I don't know you took a couple of daggers earlier,/" Sakani scolded half-heatedly. "/Someone tell him later that they were made for someone else who was killed before I finished them. Hopefully they'll do some good with him. Seems like the type that can throw daggers. If not then maybe he'll figure it out,/" he shrugged. "/Alright, I think I've done enough damage here. You boys are on your own for now. Remember what Jace told you Petri./"

"/I will. Be careful old man,/" Petri replied, waving to Sakani.

"/That's it then?/" Marik asked, sulking. "/You're just leaving?/"

Sakani grinned, taking a step toward his own horse. "/We'll meet again, Rameses. In another time and place. Until then you'd best behave yourself./"

"/Yes sir.../"

The man mounted his horse and waved before steering the beast in the opposite direction. They watched him depart until he turned down a street and was out of sight.

"Guess there's no point in us standing around," Rajan spoke, breaking the silence. "With only the two horses I doubt we can go too fast but we'll be able to travel easier at least." He moved to the back of the wagon and climbed in, the others following behind him.

"Wow, it's pretty spacious in here," Yugi commented, running his hand along a small wooden table fixed to the wall.

"There's a bed, right?" Petri asked. "I'm going to have to call dibs on that. I feel like I could sleep for a few days right about now."

"That's probably a good idea," Rajan nodded, mostly to himself. He moved out of the way so Rishid could usher the teen to the promised bed and began to spread the map out on the table. "So we have to head north first according to Petri and then we'll move east from there. It won't be an easy trip but I think we'll be alright if we follow this road here," he indicated. "That's if the road is still intact."

"Well the big problem is how far can we go at a time," Malik sighed, leaning over the map. We'll probably need to rest the horses often too so we're looking at maybe making twenty-five miles or so a day, right? That that's not really factoring that Sakani loaded this thing down with a lot of stuff."

_"This is a problem indeed..."_ Bast mused aloud, both Yugi and Bakura turning to look at her. She was looking thoughtfully at the map, a worried expression on her face. _"While Sakani's gift is quite generous, it will also slow you down. And time is of the essence..."_

"So what can we do?" Yugi asked, the others looking at the shorter man curiously. He waved his hands and pointed in Bast's direction. "Uh sorry, um...asking Bast something."

_"I suppose there is something I can do to help, though it isn't an option I enjoy. Have Marik and Malik join us outside. I will need their help as well."_

Bakura made a face and set his bundle of knives down on the table. "Bast has an idea and want Marik, Malik, Yugi, and me outside. Now," he added, turning to leave.

"Would it kill you to ask nicely?" Malik muttered, following after Yugi. Marik glared at the thief's retreating back until Rajan poked him in the arm.

"Go help. Don't think of it as helping Bakura. Think of it as helping Bast."

The blond yami made a face but reluctantly followed the others. Rajan sighed and turned back to the map.

Outside Bast inspected the wagon and horses, her face grave.

"Well Bast? What's this plan you have?" Bakura asked, eying Marik.

She was silent a moment before she motioned to Bakura to come closer. _"While I'm against such manipulation of life, I can make these beasts able to travel without rest. They'll be stronger and your wagon made lighter. They won't require food or water."_ She sighed, brushing his fingers along the man of one horse and sighed. _"The needs of the many, as they say. Such a terrible saying..."_

"So? They're just animals," Bakura grumbled, looking up at the creature Bast was petting.

_"You don't meant that. You actually love horses, don't you Bakura?"_ the goddess asked, not expecting a response as she peered down at the thief. _"Have Marik get up on the roof of the wagon and the little hikaris should stand at the back corners."_

"Hey psycho, Bast wants you to get up on the roof of the wagon," Bakura stated. Marik growled, lunging forward and stopping so his face was inches from the thief's. "Yes?"

Marik's eye twitched and he took a step back, turning to the wagon and sizing it up. "I hate you."

"I hate you too. Now get up on that thing so we can get this over with."

"Come on Malik. We need to go stand at the back," Yugi said, motioning to the other hikari.

Bakura stood before the horses, Bast's words ringing in his ears. It was true that he did like horses, not that he would ever mention such a thing aloud. He reached up and stroked each of their noses, wondering if they would be alright. He felt Bast's hands on his shoulders and jerked slightly.

_"Just stand like that. It will only take a moment,"_ she told him.

* * *

Steam rose in visible, misty clouds, billowing off a constant spray of water that cascaded from a rocky ledge above, falling into the equally steamy pool of water that Bakura found himself standing in. He was nude and didn't question why as the hot water felt so good against his skin.

'Another thing no one needs to know,' he should to himself, splashing handfuls of water against his face and relishing in the process of bathing himself properly for the first time in years. He stood under the water spray and sighed at the luxury, running his fingers through his hair, exhaling and feeling rather euphoric.

"Che, I need a haircut," he muttered to himself as and rubbed his eyes. Looking up he caught a glimpse of something on the rocks beyond the spray and stepped closer, squinting to make out the crude marks left there.

"Mi...sour...Misso...What-"

* * *

Bakura jolted awake, sitting up suddenly and looking around. Petri slept beside him on his back, undisturbed by the thief's movements. He crawled toward a dark curtain and tugged it aside, revealing the rest of the living area. Rajan, Rishid, and Yugi were sitting around the table, talking quietly.

"Oh! Bakura. You're awake," Yugi smiled, motioning for the thief to join them.

Bakura made a face before climbing out of bed and drawing the curtain back. He paused when he caught his reflection in a mirror and quickly tried to fix the mess sleep had made of his hair.

"Bast wanted to apologize," the shorter man said. "She used a bit too much energy and...well..."

"Great. How long was I out?"

"Only about fourteen hours, give or take," Rajan supplied. "Petri's still sleeping?" He made a face when Bakura nodded. "I guess we'll have to try waking him up later to feed him at least. You haven't missed much. Malik and Marik just took over for Rishid and myself. Whatever Bast did, we're making good time. If we can keep this rate and take shifts steering, we should be able to travel 500 miles every 24 hours."

"Really?" Bakura looked down at the map, noting where a mark had been made . "What's this? Ore-go-ne? What does that even mean?" he asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Oregon, but close," Rajan smiled. "So you can read romanji at least. We're actually already across the boarder."

Bakura grunted, letting his eyes wander over the rest of the states' names. His eyes widened as he saw a familiar one and his heart began racing.

"That ones a little trickier," Rajan mused. " It's pronounced Missouri."

"We need to go there..."

"Pardon?" the blond looked up at the thief curiously.

"Mi-sou-ri. We need to go there. Now," he insisted, tapping the state in question.

Yugi opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, looking at Rajan and Rishid. "We have to go. Whatever's there is important."

"No not what," Bakura breathed, shaking his head while keeping his eyes fixed on the map. "**Who**. It's about _who_ is there." He moved to the exit and threw open the door, yelling for Malik and Marik to stop.

"Who?" Rishid asked, looking to Yugi for an answer.

"Ryou."

* * *

AN: Vat vaz dat sandvich? End ze chapter here? GOOD IDEA!

Ooooo cliff hanger! I know it's *kind of* cheating, but now they have a ride and they can actually travel quickly. Hooray!

And yes, now they know where Ryou is at the moment. And looking at a map they only have to go through Idaho, Wyoming, and Nebraska to get to Missouri so that should be uneventful and quic-*falls out of chair laughing* Oh no...no, there's some stuff planned to happen before the get there. And they'll pick up another traveling companion too!

Wonder how long it will be before someone snaps...

1) What DOES Yugi's father do? Well I made something up for him. Maybe we'll get to hear more later.


	23. 22:Into A Den of Thieves

AN: So I finally got this done. Not much to say right now except I hope you like it :3

* * *

Bakura yawned as he stretched out on the roof of the wagon, his eyes closed as he tried to relax. He was half tempted to go inside and sleep on the bed but, since they had stopped for the moment and Marik was also inside, he had quickly come up with the excuse of staying outside to stand watch.

Despite that, he could hear some of what was being discussed if he pressed his ear to the roof. Petri was arguing that they needed to stick to the original plan to travel through Canada, not that it mattered much at the moment since they were already well into Idaho. They would be stuck here, too, until the teen could be reasoned with because they needed information on which was to go. All the routes heading east and south seemed to have warnings posted about them and Petri, being the most charismatic of their haphazard group, would have the easiest time getting information.

Another yawn escaped the thief and he turned his ear away from the muffled voices and focused on his breathing. He had nearly dozed off when he felt something flick his forehead.

"Go away," he muttered, trying to roll back onto his side. A strong hand pinned his shoulder down and he was flicked in the forehead again.

"You need to get up," Marik stated, his voice bored.

Startled, though he would never admit it, Bakura carefully opened one eye, feigning annoyance. "I was almost asleep."

"That's not my problem," the blond snorted, standing up. "Come down on your own or I'll throw you down."

Bakura grumbled to himself, knowing the other yami would do so without much prompting, and got to his feet.

Once they were both on the ground, Marik was quick to return to Malik's side, Grinning in a child-like way that made Bakura wince inwardly. Deciding it was better than the alternative, he turned his attention to the others.

"Alright, here's the plan," Rajan began. "Petri is going to go to the nearest inn with Yugi. Malik and I will follow after them at a safe distance that way if something goes wrong we can call for back up via Malik."

"What about the rest of us?" Bakura grumbled, wondering why his nap had been interrupted if he wasn't needed.

"You three will stay here and watch the wagon," Rajan explained. "And Malik will call us if something happens. Hopefully we shouldn't been too long but we can't risk leaving our only real transportation unguarded or someone will take it and we still have a long way to go."

"Fine by me," the thief shrugged, moving toward the entrance to the wagon. "Wake me up if you need me." He heard the others exchange parting words but was more than happy to block it out and crawl into bed.

His rest was short lived as something shifted against his chest. He dragged himself out of a dreamless slumber and stared numbly at the Ring, the prongs rustling slightly. Shaking his head and slapping his face he crawled off the bed and made his way to the table where Rishid and Malik were playing a card game.

"An item?" Malik asked, getting to his feet as he noticed the soft glow.

Bakura grunted and scratched his head as he held the ring out before him. "The signal's weak though so it's probably a piece of the Millennium Puzzle." He shrugged, letting the Ring fall back against his chest as he made his way for the door.

"I'll come too," Malik insisted, following behind determinedly.

"I don't need a babysitter," the thief tsked, jerking a thumb at his collar.

"Good to know," the blond smirked, folding his arms over his chest. "I'll go with you to help you look. Rishid can watch things here."

"Or I can go alone," Bakura pointed out. His expression soured when Bast appeared beside him.

_"All three of you can go,"_ she told, smiling. _"It's no trouble for me to make this all invisible to others and then you'll have two people to watch your back."_

"But I _want_ to be alone," the thief half-growled under his breath. He sighed after a brief staring contest with the goddess and waved his hands at Malik and Rishid. "Bast can make the wagon invisible and insists that you come along to keep me company."

The matter settled, the trio left, following the Ring's direction.

* * *

"Did you learn anything so far?" Yugi asked as Petri approached their table discreetly, a drink in hand.

"Two things," the teen began, setting himself down and making it seem that he wasn't associated with them but wanting to ask for news as he had with the other tables. "First off, we need to head back toward Oregon about 50 miles and take US 95 north for somewhere in the area of 150 miles to US 12. It'll be a longer way around and will have us going through Montana but it will at least take us east. The roads are closed off beyond Boise because there are no roads. Not much left of south Idaho either," he sighed, taking a sip of his drink. He chocked a bit when he found it had been replaced with water and pouted. "My mojito..."

"Just because you can't read the label of your medication doesn't mean you get to ignore the warnings," Rajan scolded, watching at Marik snatched the pilfered drink and all but inhaled it. "Anyway, it's not too bad. We're making impossibly good time with our current speeds."

"That reminds me. We aren't just going to travel straight are we?" Yugi asked.

"I don't see why not," Rajan shrugged, pulling the map out and opening it just to the section he needed. "At around 500 miles a day, switching shifts at the reins we can cover 2000 miles in four days. The animals don't need to rest and, if Bast is true to her word, the wagon should be able to cope with it."

"That's if we travel as fast as we can," Yugi pointed out. "I don't know about you, but I find it unnerving to travel that fast with not much to hold on to. If we slowed down the pace a bit we'd still be able to make good time."

"Not to mention that, while the animals might not get tired with whatever Bast did to then, we will," Petri spoke up, nodding toward the sound of Yugi's voice. "We should plan some down time where everyone gets to rest."

"And shorter shifts," Marik put in. "Hikari was falling asleep sitting up last time."

Rajan sighed, not liking the damper being placed on his travel plans. He hadn't seen an issue to the speed not the length of time spent at the reins. In fact, he'd wished they could travel even faster. He chewed on his lip a bit before the numbers began to fall into place in his mind.

"Alright we'll talk to the others when we get back and figure out what works for everyone."

"Well then, with that matter settled, I have some singing to do before we can leave. That reminds me, we have to be careful in this town. Apparently there's a band of thieves that's taken over the local mall that's not opposed to stealing anything that's not bolted to the ground. They're apparently armed with guns and think they run this town."

"Guess it's a good thing we left everything in the wagon then," Yugi sighed. We'll be less likely targets that way."

"And we left Bakura and Malik behind too," Rajan nodded to himself. Their Millennium Items would have stood out too much. At least I keep mine hidden under my shirt."

Marik grinned and gave his brother a good-natured and well-aimed thwap on the chest with the back of his hand, leaving Rajan glaring at he rubbed the spot he hoped would become an ankh-shaped bruise.

"/Thanks friends, that's what I needed to hear,/" Petri said in English, raising his voice a bit so the nearby tables would hear. "/Now if you'd pardon me my break's about up./"

* * *

Bakura stopped to look up at the building indicated by the Millennium Ring, pursing his lips thoughtfully. He couldn't make out the signs but he was certain he could recognize a mall when he saw one, especially judging from the asphalt desert of a parking lot. Something bothered him about how empty and deserted everything seemed and he felt mildly on edge.

"So in here?" Malik prodded when the thief had been silent for several minutes. The blond started for the entrance of the building, seeming not to notice or care about the odd quiet of the surrounding area.

Rishid, however, had and kept a hand near the handle of his gun as he cautiously followed behind his adopted brother. Bakura lingered behind, his hands not releasing his hold on the Ring. He was about to question Bast when he heard the faintest scuff of movement. A moment later shadows began to detach themselves from the scenery, racing toward the trio with guns in hand and pointed directly at them.

Rishid drew his a moment too late as one of their assailants knocked it out of his grasp and pressed the barrel of his own gun to the tall man's cheek. Bakura watched the scene with experienced eyes, recognizing that the ambush was perfectly timed. There were five men wielding seven guns between them, all various hand pistols. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but it sounded demeaning and taunting enough. The Millennium Ring was quickly stashed away out of sight and he raised his arms with mild disinterest when he was finally noticed and bullied toward the others.

"We're on their "turf", as they so put it," Rishid explained out of the corner of his mouth, a gun no longer kissing his cheek. "They want to know why we're here."

One of the thieves hooted and snatched the Millennium Rod from Malik's back belt loop, waving it toward the others excitedly. The blond moved to retrieve it but Bakura was faster, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back. Guns hadn't been around in his time but he had sense enough to know they were dangerous when you were on the business end.

'Bast, want to help us out here?' he asked, wondering where the goddess had vanished to now.

_"They won't shoot you,"_ she informed him.

Something in her tone made the thief smile inwardly and he pushed Malik back toward Rishid, sizing up the nearest one, who seemed startled at his sudden change of stance. Before he could make a move, however, they heard a loud cry behind them. The five men seemed to take a sudden interest in getting inside the building, but not before tossing a few more taunts at them.

"Naturally Marik shows up _now_," Bakura grumbled, glancing back to see Marik charging toward them, practically glowing with rage. "Hey psycho, calm the f*** down," the snapped when he was sure the other yami was in ear shot.

Marik skidded to a halt, quickly ascertaining that Malik had come to no harm before turning a glare on Bakura, how was hanging the Millennium Ring back around his neck.

"You let them mug my hikari," Marik accused, seething as he stormed up to Bakura.

"Now they have the rod in a building full of thieves," Malik added, grabbing Marik's arm in an effort to keep him from lunging at Bakura. "All of which are armed with guns."

"Is that what he was saying?" the bandit shrugged, eying the building before them. "What sort of numbers were they boasting about? Fifty? A hundred?"

"Two hundred and fifty armed men," Rishid filled in, frowning as he noticed his gun had been taken as well. "They said they'd let us go since they "got something nice"."

"Two hundred and fifty?" the thief scoffed, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. He started for the entrance, a familiar thrill racing through his veins.

"Where the hell do you think _you're_ going?" Marik snarled, pulling his arm free of Malik's grasp.

"Where does it look like I'm going? I'll meet you back at the wagon, this won't take long."

_"Bakura-"_

'Let me handle this my way Bast,' Bakura cut her off. 'Just keep that bell silent and don't give off any light.

He passed through the second set of glass doors, leaving behind the protests of the others as he melded into the shadows, purple eyes scanning the immediate area. For a den of thieves touting over two hundred members, the lack of guards at the immediate entrance left something to be desired. He guessed that the five who had ambushed them were all the guards they had posted at this entrance and that they had gone ahead with their treasure as well as to report the four strangers they had encountered.

First thing was first, then: he had to keep them from reporting anything. The store he had entered through was filled with racks that still held onto the fashions of three years ago, though most were barren. Cash registers and displays were destroyed, presumably by the mall's current occupants, which were yet to be seen.

Regardless, Bakura assumed they may also be hidden in the shadows and took care to keep himself hidden as he moved quickly toward the large opening that led out toward the rest of the mall. He heard his quarry gloating ahead and slipped from pillar to pillar, closing the distance between them. They had taken a more leisurely pace, practically strolling as the one in the front twirled the Millennium Rod in his fingers. A quick glance showed no one else in the immediate area and Bakura made his move, slipping into line with them.

It was far easier than he had expected. The first of the five went down with a blow to the back of his head, the second suffering a swift kick to the back of his knee and a helping hand to guide his head to the tiled floor. The third was thrown into the forth and the fifth with neatly robbed of his new toy and knock soundly on the head with it. He cursed under his breath that he wasn't able to silence the third and fourth ones in time before they shouted something that was echoed through the mall and was repeated by new voices. Two scouted arrived in time to find all five alive but incapacitated but Bakura had already doubled back to the store he had entered through, remembering a stairway he had seen there.

Once on the second floor and sequestered in one of the changing rooms he'd found, he held up the Millennium Ring, determining which was to go before willing the glow to fade and slipping back out into the mall, this time on the upper level. He didn't have as much cover to hide behind as he would have downstairs, but the empty stores provided him enough. More people were seen darting about in the shadows and he had to knock out two more on the way to his goal.

Bakura spotted a pile of goods that filled what had once been a fountain. Just at a glance he could see most of it was jewelry and money. He could also see ten guards stationed around their treasure trove, guns held before them. He smiled as Bast assured him that they were just for show and he swung himself over the rail, aiming his landing for the nearest guard. He was fairly certain he hadn't killed the man but didn't care as the others moved toward him.

With a grin, he lunched for the next nearest, snatching his weapon and tossing it aside after striking the side of it's owner's head with the handle. The next two he easily dodged around and knocked their heads together, both falling over themselves on the ground. A swift kick dealt with the next would-be assailant. One of them grabbed his robe from behind thinking to hold him still and he slipped his arms out of the garment and introduced the man to his fist.

Once the remaining guards were dealt with he slipped his robe back on and pointed the ring at the pile they had been guarding. He found a suede pouch with a draw string closure and opened it to reveal what he'd been searching for: three fragments of the Millennium Puzzle. When the Ring dimmed and he was certain he'd gotten all he had come for, he turned and froze, scrowling at not having realized the trap he'd walked into. Before him and cutting off his escape routes were about thirty men of various ages. Only one held a gun trained on the thief and this time Bast warned that the gun was Rishid's and was loaded.

"But only one shot," the thief muttered, wondering if the other man had realized Rishid's frugality with ammo. He also wondered where the man had gotten the weapon and realized that the five ambushers from before wouldn't have left it behind.

The one holding the gun smiled at Bakura and began talking in a nonchalant way. Bast was quick to abridge the man's words into praise at having gotten so far and offering a place in his ranks if Bakura surrendered everything of value.

Bakura tsked "/Me work with a-ma-turs rike you?/" he managed in English, feeling pretty proud with himself when he saw the reaction on the leader's face as he held out the Millennium Rod. "/Do not mai-ka me raff./" He tossed the item into the air, catching sight of a shadow leaping from the second floor, flipping once in the air, and landing in a crouch in front of him. "I told you to go back to the wagon."

Marik rose slowly, his eyes glinting wildly and his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Those closest to the blond took an immediate step back from the yami as he licked the head of the Millennium Rod.

The leader fired his pilfered gun into the air and Bakura grinned, daggers appearing in his hands. He and Marik lunged into the crowd of thieves before them.

He wasn't certain how long they fought, but Bakura was certain most of these men were used to hiding behind their guns and their numbers, real or otherwise. Many were easily dismissed with a back hand. The sight of the daggers alone was enough to cause several of them to falter despite his attempts to keep from killing anyone. He didn't care if they lived or died personally, or so he told himself. He just wanted to be spared Bast's lecturing at the end of the day.

Soon the number of able-bodied and willing fighters dwindled down to ten, the leader included. They circled around the pair of yamis. Bakura caught Marik's eye and the blond gave him a sight nod before they started to fight again, each grabbing the nearest opponent and swinging them crashing into each other. Down to eight, they kept their backs to each other, taking out two more. As one came at Marik from the left Bakura dropped to a crouch and swung his leg out, knocking the man's legs out from under him. Simultaneously Marik reached over the other yami and caught a man by the throat who had moved to attack and threw him at another of his companions.

A clicking sound caught both yamis' attention as they saw the leader was trying to fire Rishid's gun. The man cursed and threw the weapon at them before turning to run and yelling something to his men.

"Think that's our cue?" Bakura asked, turning to run toward the nearest visible exit. They weaved through tables and chairs, pausing only long enough to deal with a length of chain that was meant to keep the doors tightly closed.

Once outside, they raced away from the building more to avoid any more delays than out of worry there would be another attack. They stopped a good distance away to catch their breathes and Marik howled with laughter, thrusting the Millennium Rod into the air before stashing it behind him in a belt loop.

"That was easier than I thought," Bakura huffed, flexing his fingers and checking his hands for damage. "It was almost embarrassingly easy really."

"Did you see that guy?" Marik grinned, lavender eyes flashing this time with mirth rather than malice. "He was like "/I'm going to shoot you guys!/" and then he was all like "/Oh no! I don't have any more bullets!/"" He laughed again, a hand on his stomach. "Oh and that other guy who was all big and-"

"I was there you know," Bakura cut him off.

"Oh...well..yeah but...but..." Marik stammered, wringing the edge of his cape in his hands. The thief couldn't help but find he liked this more innocent side of spiky haired blond and wondered how long it would last before he tried to attack him. As if on cue, Bakura saw the silly grin melt off the other's face and shifted to a defensive stance.

"You went in there alone to get the Rod back. And you got something else."

"Three pieces of the Millennium Puzzle," Bakura replied guardedly.

"The guns?"

"Bast told me after the first five attacked us that they weren't loaded, more or less."

Marik nodded, staring straight ahead and then looking at Bakura.

"I went alone in case I was wrong," the thief continued, deciding it was safe to turn his back on Marik and lifting the Millennium Ring, searching for the Millennium Ankh that Rajan carried. He stiffened when he felt Marik's hand on his shoulder but it moved to drape over the back of his neck and he cast a questioning look to the blond.

"Truce?" Marik asked, offering his hand. When Bakura didn't accept it right away he smiled. "I'm not saying I don't still hate you but you did get the Rod back and you did try to protect hikari. Again," he added, frowning to himself. "And you got medicine for Petri...and Rajan trusts you..." he tilted his head a bit, staring at nothing before looking to Bakura again and furrowing his brow. "You're still responsible for this Zorc shit though. I'm still not happy with you about that."

"So what, you're ok with me besides that?" Bakura asked, raising a brow as he accepted the hand.

"...Maybe..."

"Good enough. I could do with less being punched in the head randomly," Bakura grunted, looking in the directing the prongs indicated. He suddenly found himself in a headlock, his head being ruffled by Marik's knuckled. It only lasted a moment before he was suddenly released and Marik's cheerful disposition made a return as he scampered off in the direction they had been pointed.

"I take it back," Bakura muttered under his breath, rubbing his head.

Bast smiled to herself as she trailed invisibly behind the pair.

* * *

AN: Will Marik stay bubbly and happy? Will he and Bakura be BFFs forever?

Who knows! This was another scene on my list of ones to do and I hope I got it done well. The song in my head starting around the time Bakura entered the mall was "Hide and Seek" by Amuro Namie (I believe). Don't know if the lyrics match up all that well but the tone and rhythm did (as did a World of Warcraft machinima called "The Craft of WAr: Blind", which you can find on YouTube)


	24. 23:Save you From The Dark

AN: *dusts off FFN account* *chokes on dust*

Ok so I might have gotten eaten by life for a while there. So much has happened. I got married 12/22/11, I've moved twice and am now living up in Ohio, and I have a pretty cool job right now.

But while sitting at work one day with nothing to do, I pulled out my phone and came back by FFN and started reading over SideQuest. I must finish this story. And I want to finish all of my stories. I'm going to push forward with SideQuest and take fewer detours with the story direction to focus on getting on with it and less "faffing about" as my husband would say.

***I'm also editing the older chapters. As of posting this, I've **updated chapters 1-3**. All I'm doing is fixing typos and cleaning up a few things but the core of the chapters will remain the same. I may also post shorter chapters to get the updates out faster but let's see what happens.

I'm still planning to split the story into "Yaoi" and "Non-Yaoi" chapters as we go, but that's also to be seen.

This chapter has another member joining our merry band of intrepid adventurers. She was mentioned in a previous chapter and the only hint I will give is, despite her name, she is not an OC. Have fun!

* * *

The air was always unnervingly still. At times it was almost suffocating. That coupled with the cloaking shadows draped across the land made it hard to tell at times if any progress was being made as the group traveled east and then south east.

They had agreed, much to Bakura and Rajan's dislike, to adopt a slightly easier pace as they traveled. Petri and mentioned something about a trail belonging to Oregon that made no sense to the thief but gave in to the majority vote. In the end, it had been easier on everyone and allowed Yugi and himself more time with Rajan to work on their conversational English at least.

After the third stop, however, it became noticeable that Rajan and Petri were having some issues. Namely Rajan was trying to ensure Petri wasn't doing anything that could potentially hurt him while Petri was soldering at being coddled. He started to accompany Rishid and Malik when it was their turn to drive and was careful to avoid sitting near the other man when possible in evenings. Marik seemed to be doing his best to smooth things over and keep the peace.

Finally, after eight days of traveling, they had finally reached Missouri and stopped in a town called Rock Port. As everyone was making final preparations to head into the city, Rajan stumbled upon the hidden pocket in Petri's backpack and its contents. Once it dawned on it what it was he'd found, he pulled Petri aside and demanded an explanation.

"/Stop it!/" Petri snapped, pounding a fist on the table separating them. He had finally been pushed too far and the anger he'd been biting back bubbled to the surface. Rajan was startled by the uncharacteristic display and, caught off guard, didn't know how to respond so the teen pressed on. "/Just back off right now. I'm sick and tired of you treating me like a child. It's none of your business. You shouldn't have been in my stuff to begin with./" He rose to his feet, slamming his hand on the table again. "/What do you even know about me anyway, huh? D-do you think I'm still the same, weak little brother you used to know however long ago it's been? Well news flash bucko, I'm not. Also, I'm well aware of the fact that I'm visually impaired, I don't need you to constantly remind me by babying me. Everyone else I've every traveled with has treated me like an equal but you can't look past my injuries. Where the fuck do you get off trying to control my life?/" he snarled.

"/Well forgive me for being worried about you,/" Rajan snapped back. "/I-/"

"/You're do damn high and mighty aren't you? Where were you when I was injured in the first place? When I was lying in a hospital on suicide watch because I was in pain and thinking my life was over? Where were you when I pretty much had to learn how to walk again and figure out how to take care of myself? You. Weren't. There./"

"/That's not fair,/" Rajan replied, trying to keep a calm tone. "/If I had-/"

"/What, you would have saved me? Or would you have tried to talk me out of being a harper?/" Petri demanded, waving a hand to cut off any reply. "/Hell, I grew up in New York and got bullied. I had to learn to fend for myself then and guess what? I'm still here. I survived seventeen years without needing my brothers to take care of me and I've been blind for the past two and a half years-ish. Quit treating me like I can't take-/"

"/It's not my fault that we weren't born brothers in this life,/" Rajan snapped, coming around the table.

"/For crying out loud-/"

"/That's just it-/"

"/-what matters now-/"

"/You aren't my brother,/" Petri finished, his words cutting off whatever Rajan was going to say. He groped for his staff, too infuriated to recall exactly where he'd left it. "/I don't have any brothers. My parents are dead. Hell, my extended family is probably all dead except for Sakani./" He turned away, stalking toward the door and slinging his bag over his shoulder. "/I'm used to being alone and I sure as hell don't need you in my life now,/" he finished, slamming the door shut behind him. He stumbled, missing the step in his frustration and falling to the ground, gritting his teeth as the impact coupled with the weight of his pack caused his old injuries to throb in time with his heart.

The sound of someone approaching made his curse mentally at his display of weakness and he quickly got to his feet, waving a hand in the direction of the noise. "I'm fine. I meant to do that," he muttered lamely, dusting himself off and heading in the direction he hoped the town was in. "I'm going off to get us some information. Don't wait up."

"I'll go with you," Yugi insisted, chasing after the teen. He gently prodded Petri in the shoulder and redirected him in the proper direction before following beside him.

"Petri!" Marik called, moving to follow as well but suddenly jerked back by his cape.

"Let Yugi handle him for now," Bakura said nonchalantly. He nodded his head toward their wagon when Rajan was watching from the doorway.

Marik's gaze darkened and he turned on the other blond. "Why do you two have to fight all the time now? You never used to fight before!"

Rajan snapped out of his daze and made a face. "Oh, so it's my fault he's being a brat? I didn't do anything wrong! I just wanted to keep him from getting hurt."

"Oh yes, that worked out well for you," Bakura tsked, releasing his hold on Marik's cloak. "Like the times he could have been seriously injured filling feed bags for the horses."

"Well-"

"There was also the day when he was cutting some mushrooms for dinner and you pretty much told him that he can't be trusted not to cut off a finger," Malik added.

"Th-that's not what I said," Rajan insisted, though he looked away slightly, dwelling on this fact.

Rishid placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's noble of you to be concerned about his safety, but you haven't been letting him help much at all. I agree there are things he can't do in his condition, but you aren't giving him a chance to show you what he can do."

Rajan sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I should apologize…"

* * *

"…Not yet though," Petri said, absently shifting his pack to try and relieve the pain the scar on the chest was causing him. "I just want to be mad at him for a while. Maybe have a drink, sing a few songs. Clear my head, you know?"

"I guess," Yugi replied. They had been walking for a while, the former duelist waiting until the teen had been ready to talk. "Just don't wait too long."

Petri nodded, his hand moving to find Yugi's arm and grasping it, allowing himself to be led for a bit as he listened to nearby snatches of conversation. He looked up suddenly and came to a stop.

"What's wrong?"

"I know that voice," Petri said quietly. He turned his head and cupped his ear, listening intently. A grin spread across his face and he turned toward Yugi, running fingers through his hair. "How do I look? Oh shit, are my roots showing yet?"

Yugi raised a brow but reached out to brush some dirt from Petri's face. "Not enough to worry about it…why?"

The teen bounced slightly on the balls of his feet, momentarily forgetting his pain. "It's her! I can't believe it but I'd know that voice anywhere. Quick, do you see a girl and a brown horse that has a white patch on its left eye?"

Yugi looked around and spotted the horse in question. There was a small crowd around the mount but the focus was on a girl who was passing out letters and packages. He moved to get a better look, patting Petri on the arm to let him know he would be back. She was about average in height for an American, Yugi figured. She had brown hair that came to the middle of her back and framed her face. Her eyes were dark green and she was wearing a long-sleeved beige top and blue, well-worn jeans. After getting a good look at her he slipped away and reported her appearance to Petri.

"That's her alright," the teen confirmed brightly, digging out his ocarina and offering no further explanation. He cradled his staff in his elbow as he began to play Epona's song from Legend of Zelda. The horse tossed its head slightly in response and the girl grabbed her reigns, looking for the source of the sound.

"/Gamer?/" she called, handing the last of her mail to the nearest person. "/Pass these out for me please. Runner business,/" she added with a grin. She led her horse toward them, smiling brightly. "/And I told you it was a silly idea,/" she chuckled.

Petri finished the song and grinned. "/It's the easiest way to get your attention. Lia, it's been ages! It's always so hard to be away from you,/" he said, pouting and clinging to his staff with both hands, suddenly acting as though his pack were too heavy for him. "/How cruel, this fate, that I can't be at your side every waking moment. It breaks my heart,/" he said, dramatically covering his heart with one hand.

Lia rolled her eyes, taking his hand in both of hers and patting it. "/Poor dear, how do you get by?/" she asked sarcastically, noticing Yugi and giving him a small, almost sad smile before returning her attention to Petri.

"/Every step I take is so I can see you again my dear, beautiful Lia,/" Petri insisted, turning his hand to catch one of hers and bringing it to his lips.

"/As you always say,/" Lia replied genuinely. "/Come on, I do have some news for you. Let's go to the inn. Your friend here can follow us that far at least./"

"/Yugi? Oh wait,/ would you be ok on your own for a bit?" the teen asked, suddenly recalling that Yugi wasn't fluent in English.

"_You'll be fine,"_ Bast whispered in Yugi's mind. _"I'll translate for you. Repeat after me."_

Curious at the offer but relieved that he wouldn't be left helpless, he smiled back at both of them. "/I'll be fine Gamer./"

"/Hey wow, those lessons really helped!/"

"/Yugi? Oh! You came with Gamer this time?/" Lia asked, giving him a grateful look. "/He's told me so much about you!/" She mouthed something to him, nodding her head toward Petri.

"_She wants to speak with you alone later," _Bast supplied. Yugi nodded his head and the trio headed off, Petri happily clinging to Lia's arm as he walked.

* * *

'If you can translate for me, then why don't you translate for Bakura?' Yugi sat on a bench in a quiet corner of the inn, intrigued that so many people were coming to this particular inn. He assumed at first that it was only because they didn't have many harpers stop by but the murmurs Bast has translated for him had made him curious.

'_I could,'_ Bast admitted. She appeared faintly in the seat beside him, folding her hands in her lap. _'It is in my power to simply make you both understand and speak any language you need. However, it is better that I do not. In your case, it will be better for you to learn because, in the end, my assistance would only be temporary. In Bakura's case…'_ she leaned closer to Yugi. _'I'm trying to save him.'_

'Save him?' Yugi made a face. 'Wait, can't he hear what we're saying right now?'

'_Not at this moment. And I'm currently blocking this conversation from the mind link you share. Please keep this a secret. As for Bakura, he never had a chance to live a normal life,'_ Bast explained wistfully. _'I'm trying to give him a chance for that, which includes building relationships with people.'_ She smiled at him. _'Yes, it would be easier for him to simply understand everything immediately, but really he has come a long way already and the time he spends with both Rajan and yourself learning English has begun to cement a friendship between you three. Don't you think so?'_

Yugi took a moment to consider this. It had become a nightly activity and he could admit it was generally a relaxing, sometimes fun experience. He realized that he really had stopped being afraid of and hating Bakura some time ago. Even before their minds became linked he had started to be at ease in the thief's presence.

He looked up as Bast covered his hands with one of her own. _'Thank you for giving him a second chance. You of all people had the most reason to distrust him. He needs you right now, Yugi. Even after we find Ryou.'_

'Is that why he isn't paying attention to you right now?'

Bast nodded. _'He hasn't had any dreams since the one that gave him the name Missouri. He worries that he was mistaken and that Ryou isn't here after all. And no, I unfortunately cannot help him in this. The link they share is old and, right now, weak at best. This is something Bakura must do on his own.'_

Yugi nodded sadly, wishing there was a way he could help.

* * *

Bakura sighed, rubbing his head and cursing that he wasn't having any luck. He wished the others had let him stay behind; perhaps another hour or some of meditation might make a difference. Still, he privately conceded that he was feeling a bit dizzy from hunger and stress.

As they searched for a place to get supplies and food, it seemed that there was a buzz of excitement in the air. The thief could only pick up bits and pieces of what was being said, but he could still read body language.

"A lot of people seem to be mentioning Gamer," Rishid said after some time.

"Yeah…/Excuse me,/" Malik began, approaching two men who had been having a discussion. "/Why do so many people keep mentioning Gamer./"

"/You don't know?/" the first man asked surprised. "/The whole town's been talking about him since yesterday. A runner stopped by and started spreading the word he might stop by./"

"/And who hasn't heard of Gamer by now?/" The other man asked. "/He's actually survived this long and as a harper no less!/"

"/What so surprising about that?/" Marik asked, narrowing his eyes.

"/Lots of harpers have been around since day one,/" Rajan added, snagging the edge of Marik's cape in case the blond yami tried to cause trouble. "/Why would people so far out of his jurisdiction know who Gamer is?/"

"/You're kidding right? I thought everyone knew about Gamer,/" the second man shook his head. "/He was attacked over 2 years ago by one of Zorc's creatures and he not only survived the attack, but he's still alive today. We're heading over to try and get a look at him now. He's at the big inn at the center of town. /"

"/You still look confused,/" the first man made a face, looking over the group. "/Where are you from?/"

"/Egypt and Japan, why?/" Malik asked.

"/From what I've heard, Egypt's a dead zone and Japan is probably the last safe place in the world right? I guess it's possible that you wouldn't encounter Zorc too much out that way. He's spent a lot of time in North America and Europe. No one except Gamer has ever survived an attack and lived. Even if someone manages to survive the initial attack, they usually die of their injuries./"

"/Usually after a few hours from what I've heard,/" the other man supplied.

"/No one?/" Rajan asked, waving off Bakura's attempt to get a translation. "One sec /What is the cause of death?/"

"/That I don't know, now that you mention it. Lia should know though. She'll be at the inn too. You can follow us if you want./"

They only had a short walk before they passed by a sign that read "Rock Port Baptist Church". Inside the inn there was standing room only and still people were trying to crowd in. Yugi made his way toward them and motioned them toward a door in the back.

"/Man, seems there's quite a crowd here,/" Petri's voice called out. He stood on the pulpit, which looked more like a stage as it was stripped of its usual furnishings. "/Kind of strange to have such a turn out but who am I to complain right? Let's see…we'll start with news from the west then./"

His words were cut off as the group crowded into the small side room and closed the door.

"Anyone know why there are so many people out there?" Yugi asked.

"It seems like they all wanted to meet Gamer," Rishid replied.

"They do seem to hold him in high regard…" Rajan added. A knock at the door alerted them to it opening and Lia slipped into the room.

"/There you are Yugi. I need to talk to you real quick./" She turned to offer an excuse to the others but Yugi grabbed her hand.

"/It's alright. They're with Gamer and me. What did you want to tell me?/"

Lia looked over the group, mouth twitching a bit and she hadn't expected to speak to such a large group. "/Alright,/" she finally sighed. "/First, I wanted to thank you all for watching over Gamer./"

"/It's no trouble,/" Rishid assured her, glancing to Malik as he moved to translate for Bakura.

"/My name is Lia. I'm a member of the Runner Network. My usual station is San Diego./"

"/What is the Runner Network?/" Malik asked. "/We didn't have anything called that in Cairo./"

"/Really?/" She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "/I guess that makes sense. Well, the Runner Network is sort of like the Pony Express. We deliver mail and news to different areas as well as supplies. We also give rides to harpers to get them where they're needed. Unlike harpers, we don't stay in one place for long and our base is on the east coast. We also operate under Zorc's radar,/" she added with a sheepish grin.

"/I remember now,/" Rajan said, snapping his fingers. "/We ran into your father outside of San Diego. And you said you're normally stationed there. What are you doing out here?/"

"/Well now, that's a little bit on a need to know basis,/" Lia winked. "/But specifically I'm here because I heard Gamer was coming out this way./"

"/How could you have known that?/" Yugi asked.

"/We pride ourselves on that,/" the woman grinned. "/Trade secret. You probably noticed that everyone here already knew Gamer was coming. That was my doing. Over in California and, I suspect, Japan, people know how to handle him and they're so used to him being around, they don't mob him. Outside of that, though, people wouldn't know the little things about him. Like not to give him real alcohol or to give him subtle clues as to which was to go./"

"/Wait, people always help him?/" Rajan asked.

"/As indirect and discreetly as possible,/" Lia assured him. "/He really can handle himself most of the time. And he'll always ask for help when he knows there's something he can't do./" She took a deep breath before continuing, more somber. "/Really, given everything he's been through, it's always so good to see him smiling and happy. I'm really going to miss him when he's gone./"

"/Well, we really can't stay here long,/" Malik pointed out. "/We have a long way to go and Gamer needs to come with us./"

"/That…wait, you don't know?/" Lia looked over them again. "/Didn't Sakani tell you? No…no he wouldn't have,/" she sighed. "/Gamer is…well, he's special. See, most people who get attack by Zorc's creatures are killed, right? But sometimes there are some who aren't killed but they do get injured./"

"/Right, someone was mentioning this to us earlier,/" Rajan nodded, not liking the cold knot forming in his guts. "/They said that those people die from their injuries./"

Lia nodded, hugging herself slightly. "/I've seen it happen. The person dies in such…agony. Unless the injury is on an arm or a leg, in which case a quick amputation might save them. But the wound are said to be infected. It's the easiest explanation. It spreads quickly and ensures that you die. But for some reason, Gamer's still alive. And that is the kind of story people need to hear. That someone out there is still alive despite Zorc wanting his dead./"

"/But he did live so why are you worried about his dying?/" Marik asked, his hands curling into fists. "/Why would you have to worry about him dying now? And why wouldn't he tell us if he was dying?/"

"/You know about his medication, right?/" Lia asked. "/The doctors told him it's because of nerve pain. As far as Gamer knows, as long as he can withstand the pain, he'll be fine. It's what he needs to believe. Everyone just hopes that whatever keeps him going holds out. That as long as he has a positive outlook, he'll be fine. No one is to tell him that he's on borrowed time. That's a rule./"

"He already suspects it I think," Bakura tsked. He closed his eyes and waited for Marik to grab him and demand a response and was surprised when the other yami only grabbed his arm, violet eyes searching for an answer. "He brought it up when we were traveling. He was scared that he was only alive because of Obelisk. He wanted me to ask Bast if he would die without him./"

"Why didn't you tell us before?" Rajan demanded.

"Oh yes, and give you another reason to coddle him," the thief rolled his eyes. "Besides, do you really need to know someone is dying before you give them some respect?"

Rajan sighed, his shoulders sagging. "No…and I already acknowledge that I screwed up, ok? It's just…I guess I just fell back into the habits of the past. I never thought he was weak or anything back then, but I did feel sort of…obligated to help him. The same way Ramses was always there for me growing up. I guess it is hard for me to see past his…disability but…I didn't mean to…coddle him."

"Well, I should have said something sooner instead of blowing up at you," Petri said, the others suddenly realizing the teen had entered the room.

"How long have you been there?" Marik asked.

"Long enough," the harper smiled, reaching toward where he had heard Rajan's voice and making a grabbing motion, wanting to hold his hand. "I've been stressed out since I got my memories of the past back. Part of me would be more than happy to just sit back and let you and Ramses' do everything for me. And deep down, I'm really scared about a lot of things. But the other part of me is comfortable with how I am now. Well, minus the whole blind thing, but hey, gotta take things in stride, right?" he smiled, squeezing Rajan's hand. "Thank you for caring about me but…I don't want to be a burden. And if I can't live my life, I'm a good as dead. Trust me, if I need help, I'll speak up. Ok bro?"

"Ok, deal," Rajan replied, looking up to see the worried expression on Lia's face. "So you heard everything I said?"

"Most of it," Petri admitted. "I came in around the part where you said you fell into old habits. Why?"

"Just checking. /Sorry about that Lia. Just clearing something up. We're so used to speaking Japanese it just comes naturally,/" he added, shaking his head slightly.

"/Yes! No more fighting!/" Marik cheered, hugging both Rajan and Petri.

"So does this mean we can leave?" Bakura asked.

* * *

'_Yes, Bakura. She is who you think she is.'_

Bakura nodded as he watched Lia and Petri singing on stage. 'Then she needs to come with us. If she gets her memories back, she'll be useful.'

'_You'll have to ask her then, '_Bast told him, giving him a knowing smirk.

"Hey Bakura?" Rajan began. "Does Bast know if Petri would still…die…if we defeat Zorc? I mean…if the injuries are related-"

"If we defeat Zorc then he'll be alright," Bakura relayed. "He'll still be the way he is, but he won't be in pain anymore and his injuries won't kill him."

Rajan nodded and leaned back to talk to Marik again.

"/This next song is dedicated to a friend of mine,/" Petri said, strumming on a guitar he'd been lent. Lia cradled his ocarina in her hands, prepared to accompany him. "/I hope he hears it and it lets him know that he has the courage, wisdom, and power to find what he is searching for./"

Bakura looked up as Bast translated for him. _'I'm pretty sure it's directed at you,'_ she explained. _'I can translate the song for you if you'd like.'_

Bakura shrugged and closed his eyes, returning to the task of trying to locate Ryou. He didn't see how a song would help with anything.

_"And I will find you,  
And I will rescue you,  
And I will save you from the dark_

_And I, can hear you cry__  
__And I know that you're afraid__  
__I can feel your hurt and pain__  
__For you, I will turn the page__  
__For you, I will turn the page"_

Bakura's eyes closed as he listened to the song, crossing his arms and tilting his head back. His thoughts turned to his former host, Ryou. He wondered if Ryou even wanted to see him again.

'Why do I care? No one's ever cared about me. Ryou's no different...right?' Violet eyes opened partly to stare blankly at the ceiling. 'He's probably terrified though...he always was scared of the dark...'

_"'Cause I will find you,__  
__And I will rescue you,__  
__And I will save you from the dark_

_Across the distance,__  
__Time knows' that only love can.__  
__fill this emptiness within my heart"_

'Love.' Bakura snorted, his eyes slipped closed agai. 'What a joke. Love. Nothing but a joke. A wasted effort that only...' he trailed off in his thinking, shaking his head slightly.

_"That's why I'll find you, I will rescue you,__  
__And I will save you from the dark__  
__Save you from the dark"_

Love had been something he'd never had time for. He had a pharaoh to assassinate and a dark god to serve. He supposed he didn't have much of an opinion on love, though Ryou had had a strong one. A very positive one at that.

_"With this love, raging through these hands__  
__I will find, the dark prince of your land__  
__With this love that burns for you__  
__I will make him understand _

_With this love that burns for you__  
__I will make him understand"_

'The dark prince is Zorc and I'll make him understand by bashing his skull in...why am I thinking like this?' he wondered with a frown. 'Oh yes, and I will rescue Ryou with the power of love and butterflies and ponies will rain from the sky...'

_"And I will find you,__  
__And I will rescue you,__  
__And I will save you from the dark_

_Across the distance,__  
__Time knows' that only love can.__  
__fill this emptiness within my heart"_

_That's why I'll find you,__  
__And I will rescue you,__  
__And I will save you from the dark_

_Save you from the dark"_

As Lia played the bridge, the slow, gentle music was starting to put Bakura to sleep. Still, the song was making him think of Ryou for whatever reason. He decided it wasn't so unpleasant.

'Where are you yadonushi?' he wondered.' That bastard better have kept his promise. I swear if he's hurt you...'

_"And I will find you,__  
__And I will rescue you,__  
__And I will save you from the dark_

_Across the distance,__  
__Time knows' that only love can.__  
__Fill this emptiness within my heart"_

'Strange, I can almost hear him now...like we really are still connected...It feels like...a knot in my chest...' he furrowed his brow. 'Is this what you feel too, yadonushi? This...pain? Fear? Or am I imaging things?'

_That's why I'll find you,__  
__And I will rescue you,__  
__And I will save you from the dark_

'Do you need me to save you?' "Stupid yadonushi..." he murmured, shifting a bit as sleep was slowly claiming him.

"Bakura?" Malik asked, looking over at the thief. Marik motioned for him to be quiet, sharing his thoughts on what Bakura had said through their mind link.

"Always in trouble..." the pale yami mumbled, shifting in his seat to fins a better position, his head dropping to his chest.

_That's why I'll find you,__  
__And I will rescue you,__  
__And I will save you from the dark"__(1)_

As Petri sang the line one last time, Bast smiled at the thief. Bakura hummed a bit, whispering the words as he fell asleep. "That's why I'll find you, And I will rescue you, And I will save you from the dark...Save you from the dark..."

'Please?'

Bakura jolted up in his seat, a hand grabbing the back of the pew before him, eyes wide. He felt a tug inside him and brought his free hand to his chest. The word had been whispered but he knew it hadn't been Bast or Yugi and that the thought hadn't been his own. Realization made his suck in a breath.

"I know where he is."

* * *

AN: Alright! Finally! After a week of not being able to sit down and write (stupid life!) I've finished this chapter! Well I guess it have been like what? A year and a half to two years?

But I want to get this finished and I think I know where to steer this thing now. Not the original direction I was going with it but the same conclusion. Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you have questions. I'm going to try and have at least three more chapters edited before I post the next one.

(1) This song is called "Save You From The Dark", by JC Van Luyn and Docjazz4. Look it up! It's really good :3


	25. 24:A Light In The Dark - Part 1

AN: Sorry this took so long. I got bronchitis randomly (again cause I just had it in December too _ ) and that was 2 weeks of not wanting to do anything and another week of recovery.

I debated on this long and hard and decided to split this into two chapters as originally intended. It's only to be way too long otherwise and, well, you guys like cliffs, right? :)

* * *

With the addition of Lia to their group, traveling south to Kansas City took longer as they couldn't find a feasible way to explain how they were able to travel so quickly nor could they expect Lia's horse to keep up. Bakura almost regretted inviting the girl along as the extra travel time only meant more time to dwell on his reunion with his former host. He had a hard time imagining Ryou angry, but he was certain he would be witness to that sight soon enough.

To distract himself, he spent a good deal of time in meditation, focusing on Ryou's location and trying not to think about Ryou himself. The small snatches he was able to see frustrated him as the images jumbled together and were dark. He was about to give up when he heard a voice in his mind.

:That looks like a stadium:

Bakura opened his eyes and found Yugi kneeling in front of him. The shorter man sat back sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "W-well it does...it kind of looks like he was walking around in a lobby kind of… and rows and rows of seats...like a sports arena really…sorry…"

The thief sighed, rolling his shoulders. "An arena. That might be right…it also looked like it was inside a building. Is there something like that in this Kansas City place?" He heard Malik asking something in English and looked back, focusing on the words and surprised that he understood the question.

"/Hey Lia, is there an indoor stadium or arena in Kansas City?/"

"/Hmm? Um…yeah…/" she looked at the sky a moment and tapped a finger against her lips. "/Yeah, I can show you tomorrow when we get there. Why?/"

"/We're meeting someone and they should be in a place like that,/" Malik replied. "/It's sort of hard to explain./"

"/Sounds complicated but to each his own,/" Lia replied, shrugging. She was already used to the air of secrecy about the group.

"Well then that's finally settled," Rajan nodded toward the thief. "Come on over by the fire Bakura. You've been keeping to yourself a lot lately."

"Yeah, we found a game while you were meditating of whatever," Petri added cheerfully. "Seems like dad slipped it in with everything else."

Bakura sighed but reluctantly dragged himself to his feet and moved toward the others, Yugi in tow. A game board had been set out on a large, flat rock so that everyone could sit around it. It had rectangles outlined on the outside of the board, each space marked with words and either colored bars or pictures. Two stacks of cards had been set on the center of the board face down, one yellow and the other orange. Rishid was counting colored bits of paper into eight stacks while consulting the rules of the game and Marik was rolling two dice between his hands, grinning eagerly.

"/Dibs on the car!(1)/" Petri chimed, thrusting his fists in the air.

"/Aw man, no fair!/" Mana whined.

"/Since you two seem to know the rules, why don't you explain them to the rest of us,/" Rajan smiled encouragingly. "/Petri can explain to Yugi and Bakura since their English is still pretty shaky./"

The game took some time to complete. At first Bakura couldn't see the point in it, but by the time he was forced to bow out he had to admit, if only to himself, that he'd had fun. Afterwards Lia disappeared into the wagon to sleep and the others told stories around the fire about different events in their lives. As he listened, Bakura began to wonder what exactly he'd done with his life that was so memorable.

"He set himself on fire?" Malik asked, laughing.

"And he was so nonchalant about it too," Rajan snickered.

"One time!" Marik cried. "And I did not "set myself on fire". It was just my shenti…and maybe a little bit of hair."

"You were lucky there was water nearby," Rajan grinned.

"I can't believe you _still_ won't let me live that down. That was like…thousands of years ago!" Marik huffed, crossing his arms and looking away.

"Be right back," Yugi said, getting to one knee. "I'm gonna get some water."

"Hey! I'm not even that close to the fire! And I was like 10!"

"You were 13. I was 10," Petri corrected him, matching Rajan's grin and leaning forward as Yugi dropped back to a sitting position and laughed.

"You all suck," Marik pouted.

"What about you Bakura?" Malik asked. "Any crazy adventures or embarrassing stories to tell?"

"Nope," the thief replied, shrugging.

"No? You mean to tell us you led a boring, perfect life?" the blond teased, raising a brow.

"No, I mean I have nothing to say," Bakura said dismissively. "I spent my life planning to kill a pharaoh. I didn't exactly have time for fun and games. And no, you can't poke through my memories, brat," he added, giving Yugi and dark look.

"Aw you're no fun," Malik sighed, putting his hands behind his head. "Hell, my life was terrible growing up but I still have a few good memories."

"Alright Malik, that's enough," Rishid said, putting a hand on Malik's shoulder. "We should get some rest anyway."

"True. Bast told you that Ryou was being guarded by one of Zorc's generals, right?" Rajan asked. At Bakura's nod in response he sighed. "It'll be tough then but we need to have a plan. Can Zorc tell where the Millennium items are?"

"Probably," Bakura replied, glancing to his right and then back to Rajan after a moment. "Bast said more than likely."

"She doesn't know for sure?" Rajan wondered and then shook his head. "Either way, if there is a chance, we might be better off leaving them somewhere and just taking weapons with us. If Zorc is able to track them, then so could this general of his. And we know our weapons can harm shadow creatures. If we're careful we might be able to get in and out with minimal conflict if they think we are somewhere else."

"I don't really like the idea of being without the Rod," Malik muttered, twirling the aforementioned item in his hand.

"Oh I know!" Marik chimed. "Petri can hang onto them and go with Lia to an inn."

"Hey, I can fight too," Petri pouted.

"No one's saying you can't," Rajan assured him. "But Lia is more familiar with you and we don't want to get her involved in this. Plus, between the two of you, you can get some information on where we should head next."

"True," the teen admitted glumly.

"Then it's settled. We'll have Lia show us to the inn first so we can find you once we have Ryou," Rishid said.

As the others dispersed to their sleep mats, Bakura made his way to the wagon, climbing atop it to his preferred perch. He had just laid back when Marik's head came into view over his, his expression quizzical.

"I know that look," the thief muttered, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Bast-"

"Nononono," the other yami insisted, waving his hand and sitting back. "I want to talk to you, not her."

"Alright. What?" he asked, sitting up and turning to face him.

"How old were you when you died?" Marik asked bluntly.

"What kind of question is that?" the thief demanded. He rolled his eyes when it was clear the blond wasn't going to answer him. "Let's see…" He glanced to his right as Bast appeared beside him and supplied the answer. "Twenty-one."

"Ok so then how old was the pharaoh?"

Bakura tsked, again consulting Bast before replying. "Sixteen."

Marik was silent for a moment, counting on his fingers.

"So I would have been 25 right?" he asked finally.

"Yes…what are you getting at?"

The blond grinned. "And then Rajan would have been 24 and Petri would have been 22. That makes you the youngest…" Marik said almost to himself.

"What are you getting at?" Bakura demanded again, trying to keep his voice down.

"See, I was thinking about it while we were telling stories and you've never had brothers before right?"

"Your point. Get to it."

"I'm getting there," Marik insisted with a slightly growl. He drew in a breath, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them he grinned again. "I made up my mind tonight, and I know Rajan and Petri will be ok with it. You are now our brother, ok? Cause-"

"Wait-"

"Hold on," Marik pressed a finger against Bakura's lips to silence him. "See, you've been alone for a long time and I have too. But now I have my brothers again and you're…well you still don't have brothers. But this way you'll have three brothers – three **older** brothers – who can, you know, do brother-things with you." He brought his hand back and grinned broadly at his solution.

"I don't need brothers," Bakura muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "And you can't just-"

"Already did. My mind's made up," Marik interrupted him again, nodding as though that was the last word to be said on the matter.

'_You know he's persistent,'_ Bast reminded Bakura with a smirk.

'_This is stupid,'_ the thief grumbled back silently. "Fine, now can I go to sleep?"

"Almost," Marik promised. He leaned forward, looking toward where he assumed Bast to be. "Can I ask her a question?" He followed Bakura's gaze to make sure he was looking in the right direction as the thief silently communicated with the invisible goddess once more.

"She said to tell you that, after you died, the priest you knew who had the Millennium Ring left his position and looked after your mother and sisters," Bakura began, pausing as the other yami inched closer. "Apparently he felt guilty about what happened to you and your brothers and wanted to make things right. He told them you three had died in service to the Pharaoh to ease their grief and then dedicated himself to your mother and raised your sisters like they were his own. They lived full lives and were as happy as they could be given their loss. Your mother died of old age and never thought ill of you. Is that what you-erk!"

"Thank you," Marik whimpered, crushing Bakura in an embrace, his shoulders shaking slightly. "I never knew…I needed to…"

"I'm…not…a huggy person," Bakura strained, trying to free himself. Marik slowly released him with a sigh, leaning back and smiling brightly.

"I feel a lot better now," the yami insisted. He turned to dangle his legs over the side of the wagon and laid back, his arms folded behind his head. "I know Zahira was reborn and maybe mom and Aasera were too. But knowing they didn't blame me…I feel like I can move on a little more, you know?"

"Well, you do sound less crazy," Bakura admitted, rubbing his sides. He paused for a moment before laying down parallel to Marik in the opposite direction.

"I think…I am feeling more…Ramses-ish lately," the blond admitted wistfully. "I'm not ready though…I don't deserve that name yet. Maybe one day…I'll let you know." He yawned, stretching his arms out before rolling onto his side facing Bakura. "One more thing: The first rule of being a brother is that you're never alone. If you get in trouble or need help, we've got your back, ok? And if one of us is in trouble, you have to have our back. You get it?"

Bakura resisted the urge to say something he might regret, despite how "Ramses-ish" Marik claimed to be. Instead he just nodded and closed his eyes. "Sure."

"Good. I've got a lot to teach you still but good night Bakura."

The thief looked over at Marik thoughtfully, realizing it was the first time Marik had called him by his name. He shrugged and rolled onto his side so he faced the other yami and curled an arm under his head. "Good night Marik."

* * *

The next day Lia greeted them with a rather detailed map of the center area of Kansas City with markings as to where the stadiums, arenas, and inns were in the area. When asked how she managed to draw something so accurate from memory, she merely smiled and dodged the question. They decided on an inn to send Petri and Lia to while they searched the area, stashing the Millennium Items in the harper's bag and arming themselves from the cache of weapons Sakani had left them.

Just stepping into the first two location, both Bakura and Yugi could confirm that it didn't match the images the thief had seen. It was the third place that Bakura instantly knew they were in the right place.

"I know he's here just not where," he admitted to the others, looking around and trying to ignore the prickle of goose bumps on his arms. "Bast?" When he didn't receive a reply he felt for his daggers. "Never there when I need you," he muttered.

"Ok, do we split up and look?" Malik asked, missing the security of the Millennium Rod.

"I don't know. If there is someone, or something, guarding Ryou, would splitting up be the best idea? I have this…uneasy feeling about this place. It's kind of making me nauseous actually," Rajan said.

"We won't find him by standing around," Rishid pointed out. "If we split into two groups of three we will at least be safer. Bakura and Yugi can communicate with each other so they will be in separate groups. Marik and I will go with Yugi, Malik and Rajan go with Bakura. We'll stay close so if there is trouble, the other group is never more that 100 of so feet away."

"The sounds good," Malik nodded.

"I don't think we need to go far," Bakura warned, daggers in hand. Marik drew his sword, coming to stand beside the thief as he saw the danger as well: a human-shaped creature cloaked in dark robes with a red lining and gold bracers on his arms. His eyes glowed green in the darkness, focused on the group.

"I didn't even sense it this time," Rajan said, also drawing a sword.

"None of us did," Bakura replied, watching to see what the creature would do, already think of possible attacks to expect.

"It's just standing there," Marik growled, shifting his weight and preparing to charge.

Bakura wanted to tell Marik to wait for a moment. Something about this situation didn't seem right. The creature was a duel monster, the thief was certain he'd seen it before. He tried to contact Yugi's mind to see if the other man knew but everything was starting to feel fuzzy. He felt his knees hit the floor before he realized they had buckled and his daggers were lying uselessly beside him. He wasn't certain what happened next as darkness claimed him, though he finally recalled the creature's name: Dark-Sleep-Inviting Lucifer(2).

* * *

(AN: Characters are speaking English beyond this point)

Lia had always considered herself technologically savvy and mechanically inclined. Even after Zorc had appeared she found she was able to help people by getting computer and generators running, even if it was only a quick fix. And of course she had had a duel disk before so when she was told to figure out a new device made by the same company and had only been given basic instructions on it, she was confident it would give her no problems.

"Ok you stupid thing," she grumbled, closing one eye so she could focus on the blue-tinted glass in front of her left eye. A red dot on the small screen throbbed lightly and she knew that meant she had at least one message on the network. "Check messages." She sighed when nothing happened. "Check. Messages. Is this thing on? Helllllo?" She sighed again in frustration and tried moving the microphone piece closer. "Display messages?" she tried. "There we go. Um…Show message one?"

"Whacha doin'?"

Out of reflex, Lia ripped the device off her head and had half-collapsed the headband when she realized it was Gamer.

"You scared the crap out of me!" She took a breath and replaced the device. "Trying to get this stupid thing to work with me."

"What?" Gamer tilted his head slightly and she smiled.

"Alright, you need to know about it anyway. The reason I came out this way was to pick up something called a Gazer(3). It was made from a prototype device that was going to be used with Duel Monsters someday but it's been repurposed to connect people around the world, specifically Harpers and Runners."

"Ooo neat," Gamer smiled briefly and then pouted. "But I'm guessing from the term "gazer" that it wouldn't really work for me huh."

"Unfortunately," she admitted sheepishly. "The trouble is that they didn't tell me much about it and there's no manual so it's been pretty touch and go for the last week or so since I got it."

"Did you try the help menu?"

"Help menu?" She asked. The device made a small chirping sound and the message she had been trying to read was replaced by a list of options. "Oh hey look at that!"

"Yeah, seemed like it would have something like that," Gamer grinned. He moved his staff around searchingly until it collided with the leg of a small table that was in the private room. "Is that a chair?"

"Table. There is a chair by it though." She watched him locate and move the chair to sit across from her.

"I'm worried about my friends," he admitted, suddenly all business. "They've been gone for almost six hours."

"Well, there were a lot of places to check," she tried to assure him, half distracted with her gazer.

"Is that how you got a detailed map for them?" he guessed.

"Yeah…hold on a sec. Close all windows. Display messages. Show message one." She pursed her lips together and closed her right eye. "The one really annoying part about this thing is it only covers one eye. Let's see here…Scroll down."

"Even with multiple places to check, it just feels…I don't know…I'm just worried I guess," Gamer admitted, rubbing his chest absent-mindedly; a gesture Lia noticed through the transparent screen. She re-read part of the message and then felt a chill run down her spine.

"Gamer, how long has your scar been bothering you?"

"Huh? Oh, I didn't even realize…My face feels a little weird too come to think of it. I guess since we've been in town? It doesn't hurt really though it just feels…weird. Like…tingly I guess if the right word."

"Are you getting a bad feeling from any direction in particular?" she asked.

"Um…the west I guess. Why are you asking? It's not the same feeling I get from shadow creatures being nearby."

Lia drew in a breath and got to her feet. "Zorc was last seen heading this way but he fell off the radar, so to speak. No one knows where he is. And you've never been close to him before. Do you think it might be him?"

Gamer pursed his lips together and seemed lost in thought. He gasped suddenly and looked toward her.

"That's all I need to know. Runner Network. Kansas City Missouri. Initiate Code Black Evacuation. User name: Lia. Password: Dark Magician Girl 64." She grabbed her bag and hauled Gamer's closer to him. "That will alert anyone else with a gazer in the area but we need to go down and alert the inn. The people here can spread the word and you and I can-"

"I'm not leaving without the others," Gamer insisted, grabbing his bag and getting to his feet.

"They'll have to evacuate on their own," Lia countered. "We need to get you out of town. If Zorc finds you-"

"Which of the places you told them about is west of here?"

"Gamer-"

"I'm going to help them," the teen told her, shouldering his bag. "You can leave with the others."

"I'm not going to just leave you here! Of all people, you-"

"We're the only ones who can stop Zorc. Permanently," he said, pausing for a moment to let the words sink in. "We know how to stop him but it will take all of us. I don't have time to explain everything right now but you have to believe me. If Zorc's here, he's trying to stop us. And if there isn't a big red dragon outside west of here, I'm going to take that to mean they either don't know or that they need my help."

"A red dragon? A way to defeat Zorc? You're not making any sense," Lia told him, shaking her head. "Besides, if you go and Zorc is there-"

"Let me put it another way," Gamer interrupted her. "Think of Zorc as Ganon. And I am Link. All I've got is a bag full of tools and the triforce of courage. Do you think I'm going to let him scare me?"

"This isn't a game, you could really die," Lia shouted at him, grabbing his shoulders and giving him a shake.

"I know Zelda," he replied calmly. "But right now you have to believe in me. And I need your help."

Lia sighed, realizing that the harper's mind was made up and curious as to what he was implying. "Kemper Arena. That's west of here. But if they aren't there, we leave. No objections."

"Deal. Now I think I have an idea that will get people to leave the city without much encouragement." He placed a hand on his chest and bowed his head. Lia took a slight step back at the faint blue glow that clung to his skin briefly before fading. In the distance she heard a roar and raced to the window.

"Obelisk will get people moving," he told her with a grin. "Let's get to Epona, Zelda. _We_ have a date with Ganon."

* * *

(AN: Characters are speaking Japanese beyond this point)

Bakura opened his eyes slowly, his body still sluggish from being forced to sleep. He moved slightly and found his arms were bound behind him and tied to a pole in such a way he was forced to stand. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the haze from his vision as he looked around the room, trying to determine where he was. A single light flashed to life overhead, momentarily blinding him.

"Finally awake I see," a voice greeted him. Bakura grit he teeth, focusing on the speaker. Dark red eyes caught his attention first. The man slowly came into view at the edge of the light. A black cloak hid most of his features, but not the almost condescending, self-satisfied smirk that he currently wore. He watched the thief silently for a moment, giving Bakura a chance to realize they were in the center of the arena, the floor having lost its polish but still baring various circles and lines.

"I hope you enjoyed your nap," the man continued, strolling around the edge of the light while keeping his eyes on Bakura. "Lord Zorc wishes to speak with you. He will be arriving shortly."

'Of course it was a trap,' Bakura thought blearily, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head to try and clear his vision. Looking around again he realized the two of them were alone. "Where are the others?"

The man paused, the smile melting from his features as though it hadn't been what he'd expected the thief to ask. He rolled his shoulders after a long moment and continued to walk. "They left."

"You're lying," Bakura growled, trying to turn to watch the man's progress but finding he was unable to do more than look over his shoulder. "They wouldn't have just left. What did you do to them? I swear if you've hurt them-"

"Once you were unconscious, we told them that you were all we wanted," his captor explained coolly. "They were free to go and seemed fine with leaving you to our care. Seemed that quite a few of them held a grudge over something you did. Well, I suppose you can't blame them. After all, you are responsible for Lord Zorc's freedom, aren't you?"

"They wouldn't have left," Bakura insisted again, wincing at the slight headache he was getting and blaming it on the brightness of the light overhead. "Even if they do hate me, they need me."

"So you can find the rest of the Millennium Items?" the man asked from somewhere behind him, still circling him slowly. "Well, they have the Ring now, right? They'll manage. And before you ask, I already know what you were going to attempt and Lord Zorc assures me that it would never have worked in the first place. You worked for him before, did you honestly think some fable about hikaris and yamis would hold up in the face of his power? Or that three "god" spirits would be a match for him?"

Bakura eyed the man as he came back into view. 'He's bluffing,' he thought. He closed his eyes again as his vision distorted for a moment. They snapped open again as he felt gloved fingers at his throat, caressing the bell on his collar.

"And what is this trinket supposed to do?"

"Back off," Bakura growled in warning, trying to get a better look at the man.

"This must be how that spirit is manipulating you. Simple, but not very elegant."

"Now would be a good time to step in Bast," Bakura said, jerking away from the man to try and get him to release the bell.

"Bast?" the man scoffed. "What makes you think that spirit is Bast? Oh, is it this collar she gave you?" he asked.

"…What do you mean?"

"Did she ever say her name was Bast?" the man asked, his smirk returning as he saw the suspicion in Bakura's eyes. "Tell me, if I put on dog ears and barked at you, would that make me Anubis?"

"Shut up," Bakura snapped, struggling against his restraints. He tried to recall his time with Bast in that tomb-like room. He had to admit, he was the one who had assumed who she was. He shook his head again but this time the man's hands cupped his cheeks, holding his gaze.

"It's simple, you're being lied to," the man told him simply. "I mean, all you asked for of Lord Zorc was to move on. You told him you didn't want to be here anymore. And then some woman pretends to be a goddess and makes you go running all over the world looking for a grocery list of items and people who despise you." He released Bakura's face and took a step back. "Lord Zorc, on the other hand, has been very interested with your return. He's willing to give you another chance to serve him. And, unlike this "Bast" spirit, he did help you get your revenge, as promised. He never lied to you like she has."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Bakura wondered how this man seemed to know so much. He was having trouble focusing. ::Yugi?:: he tried. He could feel Yugi's mind so he knew he was still alive, as the man said, but there was no reply as though he was being blocked. ::Ryou-:: "Where is Ryou," he demanded.

"Hmm? Oh, he's around here somewhere," the man said. The sound of a door opening behind Bakura caught his attention. "Ah, here he is. I told you I would find him for you, Ryou. And don't worry, he can't hurt you."

Bakura felt his heart pounding in his chest, to match the throbbing in his head. He twisted as much as he could to look at his former host.

Ryou seemed to have changed little since he had last seen him. He still had a slight build and pale skin. His hair was still styled the same albeit a little longer. He wore a simple, long sleeved light blue top and white pants and shoes, similar to what he'd worn before. His demeanor, however, seemed cold. The brown eyes that looked into his looked a bit darker and his expression was neutral.

"Come now, Ryou," the man said, gesturing toward the thief. "Bakura has come a long way to see you. And you two haven't been together in years. Don't you have anything you would like to say to him?"

Bakura's mouth was dry suddenly. "Ryou-" He was startled to silence Ryou's hand connected with his face sharply.

"You…you ruined my life," Ryou began, tears welling up in his eyes. "You used me. You made me do horrible things…and then you left me alone with Zorc." He balled his hands into fists and punched the thief in the stomach and then pounded on his chest until the cloaked man intervened, pulling him back and trying to calm him down. "I hate you Bakura!"

Bakura coughed, the punch to his gut having winded him. He had been hit harder physically, but this was Ryou. He had expected that his former host wouldn't be happy to see him again, but the reality of Ryou's words were almost too much for him. He tried to tell himself that he didn't care, but he knew he would only be lying to himself.

"There must be some sort of compromise here," the cloaked man said, holding Ryou and letting the smaller man hide his face against him. "However there is the matter of what you asked of Lord Zorc…you did tell him not to harm your former host. And as you can see, Ryou is unharmed. He took your request to mean you wished Ryou to be taken care of and he has done so, another promise kept if I might add. Let me see…" He took Ryou's chin and turned the boy's face toward his. "What do you want to do Ryou? You want to be free don't you?"

Ryou nodded, casting a dark look at Bakura.

"I suppose…well, Lord Zorc might be alright with a sort of trade," the man mused, stroking Ryou's hair thoughtfully while turning his attention to Bakura again.

"Trade?" Bakura asked, looking at Ryou.

"Yes. If you were to agree to work for Lord Zorc again, I don't see why I couldn't release Ryou now. All you have to do is swear allegiance to him and…give me permission to remove that nuisance collar you're wearing. What power Lord Zorc has granted me would be enough to do so provided you allow me to."

Bakura coughed again and blinked his eyes a few times. It still felt as though his vision was hazy. There was also the nagging sensation that things didn't add up. Hadn't Marik said something to him recently? And weren't the others treating him more as a friend? He tried to think of an example but could only recall how Yugi and Malik had reacted to his return. He tried again to call out to Yugi or Bast. He could only vaguely recall one other time in his life when he had felt so alone. That day so long ago in Kul Elna.

"And he would be free to go…no strings attached?" Bakura asked, bowing his head, his shoulders sagging.

"No strings attached," the man promised.

"It would be the only decent thing you've ever done for me," Ryou managed to say, his voice a mix of anger and sorrow.

Bakura closed his eyes, again tugging at his restraints and weighing his options before he finally let out a sigh. 'I did ruin his life, I can admit that…For his sake…I…'

* * *

AN: I'm already well into the next chapter so that should be up in a few days. In the meantime, refreshments are in the lobby and here's some mountain climbing gear to help you hang on to the edge of the cliff until then. Please hang onto it because things are going to get crazy from here.

(1) Have you guessed what game they're playing by now? :D The answer is Monopoly

(2) Dark-Sleep-Inviting-Lucifer is the card's Japanese name. Its English name is "Invitation to a Dark Sleep", which is more of a phrase than a name.

(3) Did I just make a reference to Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal? Yes I did. The characters use their Duel Gazers (D-Gazer in Japan) to play Duel Monsters. It allows them to view the duels in an augmented reality so that the monsters actually seem to affect their surroundings. It also seemed like something Kaiba would invent (I don't know if he was responsible for the technology as I haven't actually watched Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal yet).

See you in a few days!


	26. 25:A Light In The Dark - Part 2

AN: Sorry for the delay! I wanted to do my best to make this chapter as exciting as possible. I also had some thoughts on the next few chapters I've been debating that may or may not come into play, one big one I need to decide in the next chapter.

Enjoy!

* * *

(AN: "English" "/Japanese/")

As they rode to the arena, Petri gave Lia a very brief explanation of what he and the others were trying to accomplish, promising a more detailed tale once and everyone was safe.

"Just go with it for now," he urged as they dismounted Lia's horse.

"Even just what you told me is a lot to take in," Lia sighed, tying the horse's reins to a hand rail before tapping Petri on the elbow. "Remember though, if they aren't here, we are leaving."

Petri nodded, grasping Lia's shoulder and following her into the building. He held his staff close and off the ground and listened intently for any sound of the others or possible danger.

"Infrared mode," Lia said quietly, relieved when the gazer responded. She looked around slowly and noted the heat sources the device picked up. "Ok, so it looks like there are people in here," she said quietly. "There's one group that looks like about eight people and then two different heat sources that are on their own. Here," she took Petri's hand off her shoulder and placed it again the nearest wall. "I'll take a look and be right back."

Petri counted quietly to himself while Lia was gone, hugging close to the wall and hoping he was less visible by doing so.

"Ok," Lia began as she returned, huddling close enough that the teen could feel her breath on his cheek. "So the others are here but they're locked in some sort of cage-thing and there are three guys watching them. Also, I didn't see Bakura in there so he must be one of the other heat sources I'm picking up." She sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not sure what to do. Those three guys didn't seem armed but I doubt the two of us would be much of a match for them.

"Hmm...this will be tough then," Petri muttered, covering his mouth with one hand as he tried to think of a solution. "Probably our best bet would be to get the other's free. You said the cage looked weird. What do you mean?"

"It...well it looks kind of like something I've seen before. Like from Duel Monsters but different. Do you remember the card Nightmare's Steel Cage? It's something like that only more like a rectangle."

"If that's the case..." Petri shrugged off his back pack and set it on the ground as he passed his staff to Lia. He felt around until he identified the Millennium Rod, handing that to her as well. "Ok, I think I have an idea," he said, hoisting the bag onto one shoulder and reaching to take his staff back. "If we can get this rod to Marik, he should be able to take it from there."

"Ok…" Lia replied hesitantly. "But we would still need to get it to him. Are we just going to run in and hope for the best?"

"Of course not," Petri assured her, waving a hand dismissively. "Tell me, how is the room set up from the doorway?"

"Well let's see...there isn't much to it really. When you go in it opens up to the right. The others are in a cage straight back into the room. There are some boxes off to the right that the three guys were sitting on. The room is...maybe like twenty by twenty? It's mostly empty; the boxes they were on were just in the corners of the room."

"So no furniture...Where is the room?"

"It's the first door on the right."

"Then here's what I need you to do. I'll go in first and make a distraction," Petri began.

"Are you out of your mind?" Lia hissed.

"One of us needs to be a distraction and there's no way it's going to be you. Whatever happens, make sure Marik gets the rod. He'll handle it from there."

"But-"

"I need you to trust me," Petri cut her off sharply, grabbing her arm. "I promise that I'll explain everything but until everyone's safe you need to trust me."

Lia took a shaky breath and nodded her head softly, despite knowing the teen couldn't see the motion. "Ok."

Petri grinned and gripped the straps of his backpack. "Wait until you have a clear shot of making it. If we both get caught then we're all in trouble." He quietly made his way along the wall until he found a door frame and carefully lowered his bag to the ground. Drawing in a deep breath he tried to recall what Sakani had taught him about fighting.

'If you can help it, never let your opponent know how long your reach is,' he thought, changing his grip on his staff so it passed between his arm and his side to hide its true length. 'You won't always have the luxury of fighting an opponent on gravel or something like that so you'll have to figure out some way of getting them to give away their position. Get them trash talking or monologing and you'll be better off. Remember that fighting isn't about how many times you strike your opponent but making hits that count. Dodge when you can, strike when you're sure. And remember,' Petri thought as he stepped through the doorway, smiling brightly.

"Excuse me? Is anyone in here?" the teen asked cheerfully.

"How did you get in here?" a male voice demanded from his right.

"Oh, sorry," Petri laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "The front door was unlocked so I just came right in. I'm looking for my friends. There are eight of them altogether. One has really spiky blond hair. Have you seen them?"

"What are you doing?" Rajan's voice hissed.

"/Get out of here,/" Malik added in Japanese.

"Oh? Hey there they are!" Petri grinned, waving in their direction.

"Heh, oh these guys are your friends huh? Why don't I show you to them?" the man's voice asked again.

'The most important thing to remember if you do have to fight,' Petri recalled Sakani's words even as he pretended to be helpless. "Oh thank you, you know I'm completely blind, as you can see, so I have a hard time getting around on my own." He felt the man's hand land roughly on his shoulder and quickly ducked out of his grasp, drawing a confused grunt from the man. He focused on the direction the sound had come from and made his opening attack, thrusting his staff in a quick strike.

'Don't hold back. Strike to kill,' Petri thought, pulling the staff back as he heard the man cry in pain and fall to the ground. He wasn't sure where he had hit him, but the fact he had fallen was reassuring.

"Oh I'm so sorry," Petri pouted. "I'm such a klutz."

The other two men got to their feet and Petri slowly stepped around the first man. 'Ok, so the others are trapped over here. I need to get these guys to look the other way.' "If you don't mind letting my friends go, we have a really tight schedule to keep."

"No one's going anywhere until Zorc gets here," the second man said.

"Now that's not a very nice attitude to have," Petri sighed, shrugging. "I guess we have to do this the hard way."

"Big talk from a blind kid," the third man scoffed.

'That's all I needed to know,' the teen thought, cringing a bit as he heard movement from the first man. 'Have to move fast.' He focused on the sound of the two men coming toward him, dodging around the one to his right and spinning to face them as he edged backward away from the others.

"Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough(1)," he taunted.

"Little brat," the third man tsked, coming toward Petri again. This time the teen struck with his staff again, relieved when his attack landed and not caring where he had hit. A rustle of fabric gave the second man's position away and he quickly swung his staff in a low sweep, mentally cheering when his weapon again made contact and he heard the man fall to the floor.

'I guess I really do have the devil's luck,' Petri thought brightly. "Is that all you've got?" he asked with more confidence than he was feeling. "Guess that's why you're stuck here on guard duty."

"That's it. You asked for it. Lucifer!" the third man snapped.

"/He summoned his Ka spirit Petri!/" Yugi called out in warning.

"/Eh? Wait, they can do that?/" Petri asked, clutching his staff and looking around. 'Shit, I can't tell where it is. It must be able to fly. What do I do now?'

"/Duck!/" Rajan ordered. Without thinking Petri reacted, his heart racing as he felt a draft from the attack he'd barely dodged. "/Strike twelve o'clock high!/"

'Twelve o- Oh!' Petri stabbed the end of his staff up at an angle in front of him, feeling it connect with something. Moving quickly he followed up the attack with another strike and then took a few steps back, feeling behind him for the wall.

"Why isn't he getting tired?" the second man demanded.

"I guess Lucifer's power only works if you can see him. You lot stay out of this," he snapped at the others.

"/One's in range on your two,/" Rajan said, ignoring the man. Petri attacked in that direction, feeling that the strike grazed something and then felt a tug on his staff.

'That's not good,' he grimaced, immediately holding onto the weapon with both hands and trying to maintain control of it. He heard Rajan, Yugi, and Malik calling to him in warning as a hand grabbed his shoulder. A second later he was punched in the stomach, the blow making him gasp for air and loosen his grip just enough of the other man to take his staff. 'Definitely not good,' he thought as the front of his shirt was grabbed and his back was slammed against a wall. He grabbed at the hand holding him, coughing and trying to catch his breath.

"Little shit," the first man's voice spat at him. "Think you can make fools of us?"

"Y-you ok?" the second man asked.

"Yeah, but I'll feel a whole lot better once I beat this kid to a pulp. Heh, you must be this Gamer person we were told about. Looks like your luck's run out. Zorc wants you dead and I think I can do that for him no problem."

Petri fought to keep his expression neutral and prayed that Lia would hurry up. He felt something prod against his cheek and realized the must be his staff.

"First though, we should get some payback. He did make us look bad in front of our prisoners. Let's make an example of him," the third man chuckled.

'If Lia hasn't come in yet, one of them must still be watching the door,' Petri thought. He flashed a grin. "So tell me, how's it feel having your asses kicked by a blind kid anyway?" he asked. 'Please not in the face.'

"That's it," the first man growled, pushing him harder against the wall.

'Oh god he's going to hit me in the face isn't he,' Petri realized, gritting his teeth and waiting for the blow to come.

"What the- how did you get out!?" the man suddenly demanded before he cried out in pain. Petri leaned back against the wall as he was released suddenly and assumed that his sudden freedom was thanks to Marik. He doubled over, hugging his abdomen and breathing deeply both to calm himself and to recover from the fight.

"Are you okay?" Lia asked. He nodded slightly in response. "Are you out of your mind?" she demanded more seriously. "They were going to tear you to pieces!"

"Could you yell…at me when I'm not trying to keep from throwing up?" Petri asked, letting himself slide back against the wall and hugging his knees. "J-just give me a few," he muttered.

"Where is Bakura," Marik snarled at the last of the men still conscious. When it was clear he wouldn't get an answer he slammed him to the ground and looked back at Rajan.

"That was a bit excessive," Rajan sighed, one hand on his hip while the other held Petri's staff. "I guess it's good you didn't kill them though."

"We need to find Bakura," the blond yami growled, clenching his fists.

"He must be one of the other heat sources I picked up," Lia said, looking around. She pointed to the wall the three men had been in front of. "One of them seems like it's right there...but...there's no door here and there wasn't one out in the main area." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it's a maintenance room or-"

"There is a door," Marik stated, stalking toward the wall.

"What's that thing?" Malik asked, pointing at Lia's gazer.

"It's kind of a long story," the girl replied, waving her hand.

"Let's just not ask questions until everyone's safe, deal?" Petri asked, climbing to his feet and leaning against the wall. "Man, I am not cut out for melee combat. Getting hit hurts."

Marik glared at the wall, the eye of wdjat appearing on his forehead, revealing to him the veil of shadows that clung to the wall, obscuring a lone door. He grabbed the door knob, the shadows retreating from his touch.

"Tch. Locked," the yami tsked, drawing the Millennium Rod, which he had tucked away after dispelling the cage that had held them moments before. He hadn't wanted to kill the men earlier he realized, turning the item in his hand. The door, on the other hand, he had no qualms with destroying. Tightening his grasp on the Rod, he dispelled the remained shadows to fully reveal the door. He took a step back and kicked the door, putting all of his anger into the motion. The door cracked and gave way to his foot and he made a face.

"Feel better?" Rajan asked, shaking his head.

"No, now my foot's stuck," Marik grumbled. He looked back as he felt someone catch him under the arms and sighed, sagging in Rishid's embrace and tugging his foot free.

"I think you broke the hinges at least," Rajan commented, moving to inspect the damage.

"W-who's there?" a voice asked from the other side of the door.

Yugi gasped, rushing to the hole in the door and peering through it. "Ryou?"

"Y-yugi? /Is that really you?/"

"/Stand back,/" Rishid instructed, motioning to Marik. Together they rammed against the broken door until they were able to help Ryou out of the small room.

Ryou looked around at the unfamiliar faces before clinging to Yugi. His hair had gotten much longer since they had last met and was pulled into a pony tail in a vain attempt of keeping it in check, the end of it hanging just past his tail bone. He was wearing a long sleeves blue top that hung down to his knees and was embroidered around the sleeve cuffs and neck and a simple pair of black pants but no shoes.

"/Yugi. I can't believe you're here,/" Ryou said, hugging his friend tightly.

"/Sorry to break this up, but we need to hurry,/" Malik said. "/Bakura's still missing./"

"/Bakura? But I'm Bakura,/" Ryou said, looking to Malik.

"/He means the spirit of the Millennium Ring,/" Yugi explained, taking a step away from Ryou.

"/Spirit?/" Ryou's eyes widened and he grabbed Yugi's hands. "/He's here too?/"

"/He led us to you,/" Yugi confirmed.

"/Oh no…/" Ryou shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "/I was a trap. I should have figured.../"

"/What?/" Marik demanded.

"Okay, I at least know what that meant," Lia huffed, placing her hand on her hips.

"Ryou said he was a trap," Petri supplied for her, grabbing a hold of her arm. "Where was that other heat source thing again? In the arena?"

Lia nodded and motioned to the others. "Follow me." She led them back out of the room, Ryou clinging to Yugi's arm as though fearing he would be left behind. They approached the nearest entrance to the arena only to find that it was shielded by a shadowy aura.

"I'm going in. Stay out here," Marik announced, the eye of wdjat still glowing on his forehead. He drew the Millennium Rod once more, holding it before him. The Rod glowed brightly and the shadows receded from the entry way. Without hesitation he threw open the door and started into the arena.

A cloaked figure paused, his hands at Bakura's neck, and looked toward Marik as he entered. Immediately he pulled away from the thief, snapping his fingers. Bakura's gaze fell to the floor and his shoulders slumped.

Marik's gaze shifted from Bakura to the cloaked figured, his eyes narrowing as he continued to approach.

The cloaked figure moved out of the circle of light to stand between Marik and Bakura, one hand moving to his chin as he studied the approaching yami thoughtfully.

"I can't have you interrupting this," he said finally.

"What did you do to him?" Marik demanded, his tone controlled but deadly.

"How to deal with you," the cloaked man mused quietly, ignoring the question. A smirk crossed his lips and he moved his hand from his face, aiming it toward the yami.

Marik raised the Millennium Rod, the item flashing gold in the darkness. "What did you do to him?"

"What did I do to who?"

Marik blinked, looking around. He was suddenly standing in the ancient living room of his family, his mother looking up at him from the floor where she sat with his younger sisters Aasera and Zahira. He took a step back from them, eyes wide.

"Rajan is at school today isn't he?" she asked. "And Petri should be outside with your father. Are you ok Ramses?"

Marik shook his head slowly, gritting his teeth and trying to see through the illusion. He was surprised at how hot he felt and realized that the sun was shining brightly through the nearby window. Drawing in a breath, he felt a wave of nostalgia mixed with déjà vu as the familiar smells of his past life, long forgotten in the thousands of years past.

"This isn't right," he said aloud, looking at his right hand for the Millennium Rod. He kept his hand clenched though it seemed like nothing was there. "I'm not falling for it," he shouted at the ceiling. He jumped as the image of his mother placed her hands on his cheeks, turning his attention to her, deep concern in her eyes.

"Ramses, what is wrong?" she asked, his sisters coming to stand to either side of her, their worried faces in his peripheral vision. "What has gotten into you?"

Marik trembled, her touch feeling so real, it was hard for him to deny the mirage. He closed his eyes, trying to shut out what his senses were telling him was real.

"It's ok Ramses," his mother's voice said softly, so close to his face he could feel her breath on his cheek. "It will be over in a few seconds."

"Ramses!" Rajan's voice shouted. Marik's eyes snapped open and again he was in the dark arena. A dark creature now stood where the illusion of his mother and sisters had been seconds before, tendrils of shadow wrapped around his arms, its open maw moving toward his neck. The end of Petri's staff suddenly pushed the creature's head back, Rishid wrapping his arms around it to prevent another attack.

"More interference," the cloaked man said, unamused as he turned away from Bakura again. He waved his hand and the shadows congealed before him to form three more creatures, each a formless beast.

Marik growled, the Millennium Rod flashing brightly, the light encasing each of the creatures in a net of energy.

"I suppose I underestimated all of you," the cloaked man muttered, looking over Marik, Malik, Rishid, and Rajan as they stood ready to attack him. "I should have killed you as you slept instead of waiting to have the thief do it for me. I will just have to correct that mistake." His eyes glowed crimson from within the shadows of his hood and more shadow creatures began to form before him.

* * *

(AN: "/English/" "Japanese")

"Now's our chance," Yugi whispered, moving through the door and turning down a row of seats. Ryou still clung to his hand but he glanced back to make sure Lia and Petri were following. They moved as stealthily as possible to the arena floor toward the shaft of light where Bakura was imprisoned.

Lia drew a knife from her pocket and set about cutting through the rope binding the thief's wrists.

"Bakura," Yugi whispered, grimacing as he realized he still couldn't connect to the yami through their mind link. He grabbed Bakura's shoulders and shook him roughly. "Bakura snap out of it," he hissed.

Ryou bit his lip as he looked over Bakura. He hadn't considered what the spirit of the Ring would look like in person, but seeing the almost dead look in his eyes was definitely disturbing. He hugged himself, looking to the cloaked man to make certain he was distracted and shuddered before returning his gaze to his yami.

"It's no use, he's not waking up," Yugi sighed, shaking his head.

"I guess we'll just have to carry him," Petri shrugged helplessly. He moved one hand to his chest, rubbing it along his scar. "We seriously need to leave, one way or another."

"If…if I had the Ring maybe…" Ryou began tentatively.

"The Ring?" Yugi asked, looking to Petri. "It might work," he nodded, retrieving the item from the harper's bag and handing it to Ryou.

"/I'll keep working on the rope,/" Lia sighed, frustrated that the others were speaking in Japanese again.

Ryou clutched the Millennium Ring in his hands, studying the item that had plagued him for so many years. He looked back up at Bakura and drew in a breath. "Spirit, can you hear me?" he asked, hesitating a moment before grasping the cord of the Ring and looping it over the thief's head, trying to hang it as silently as possible. "Spirit…" he closed his eyes, his hands still on the item.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a familiar hallway. Behind him was the door to his room. Before him was an iron door bearing hieroglyphs. He had been told many times to never so much as touch the imposing door. He felt a chill run down his spine as his fingers caressed the handle of the door and turned it. It opened easily for him but he couldn't see what awaited him. Looking back to his door, he opened it as well, the light from within allowing a shaft of light to pierce the darkness.

"Spirit?" Ryou called, stepping into the forbidden room more boldly. He felt a chill run down his spine as he saw the thief in the center of the room on his knees, his eyes still downcast.

"He can't hear you," a woman's voice startled Ryou and he turned to see who had spoken. "He has been like this since Marik interrupted _him_." The woman sighed, appearing in the doorway. "You can call me Bast," she added, answering the question she could see in his eyes. "I should have realized that Zorc still had a small hold over Bakura. A fail-safe, it would seem."

"What do you mean?" Ryou asked, looking back to Bakura, expecting some reaction from the spirit.

"Bakura was just a child when Zorc first spoke to him. At that time, he was completely distraught over witnessing the massacre of his village," She paused, leaning her head against the door frame but not entering the room. "To make matters worse, he was suddenly surrounded by the spirits of those killed, all of them crying for vengeance. It was too much for him to cope with all at once and that made him the perfect candidate for Zorc." She sighed, her gaze softening as she looked past Ryou to Bakura. "Once Zorc had a hold of him, any emotion other than vengeance, anger, and hatred became foreign concepts. He was driven for thousands of years to get revenge."

Ryou cautiously moved closer to Bakura, reaching out to grab his shoulders and looking into his eyes as Bast continued.

"I should have realized there was more to his recent depression than stress alone. Bakura was feeling many things for the first time, including guilt. The last time he ever felt guilty was that day when he found himself the lone survivor of a doomed village. It was the easiest emotion for _him_ to prey on, all he needed was to make Bakura also relive the feelings of loneliness and abandonment, even for just a moment."

"Spirit?" Ryou tried, moving his hands to Bakura's face. "Spirit, it's me, Ryou." He bit his lip when there was no response. "Was it you I heard the other day? I thought I heard you're voice saying that you were going to save me from the dark." He paused again. "I don't know if you can hear me, but...I'm sorry. It's my fault you're here now. I didn't know I was being used as bait. I just…I wanted to see you again." He paused again, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around Bakura's chest and hugged him close.

"You aren't alone, Spirit. No one abandoned you. Everyone is here and they need your help. Please snap out of it!" He trembled and hid his face in Bakura's shoulder. "I need you. Please, please snap out of it. I don't want to be alone anymore. I'm scared and I'm tired of being scared. Please-"

"**You.**"

Ryou was suddenly jerked to reality as the back of a fist connected with his the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. Yugi suddenly stood over him protectively, facing the cloaked man.

"You have worn out your usefulness," the man said, looking past Yugi. "As I have no more use for you, you can die first. And you with him," he said, turning his attention to Yugi at last, his hand reaching out and catching the smaller man by the front of his shirt and throwing him to the ground beside Ryou. He held a hand out, palm open and pointed toward them as fire because to swirl in a ball before it.

Ryou looked around frantically to find the others were being held back by a ring of shadows. Marik was trying to break through them, but it was clear he wouldn't make it in time. He tried to scramble back from the flames bout his limbs wouldn't respond.

"S-spirit…Ba-Bakura! Help!" Ryou called, unable to tear his eyes away from the flames as them were launched toward him.

The cloak man grinned as he heard the others crying out in fear for Yugi and Ryou, but his expression was quickly replaced with a look of annoyance. The flames extinguished themselves before hitting their mark, a barrier of silver and gold light protecting the two hikaris.

As he turned to look at Bakura, he was caught off guard as a fist landed a punch to his face, staggering back and bringing a hand to the impact point. He scowled at the source, his eyes drawn to the eye of wdjat on their forehead.

"I will not be used again," Bakura stated coldly, narrowing his eyes.

"Then you can all die together," the cloaked man responded, suddenly flying into the air and hovered out of reach. He held his hands out, the single light that had been over Bakura shattering and plunging the room into complete darkness. Shadow swirled around them, taking the shape of dark creatures. "Without your Ka spirits, there is no way you can win," he stated.

"What does he mean?" Petri asked, still clinging to Lia's arm as she pulled him away from the shadow creatures and toward the others.

"You haven't noticed?" Rajan asked. "Something's preventing us from summoning our Ka spirits. Probably some kind of ward he set up. Damn it, we walked right into this," the blond swore.

A grin slowly spread over Petri's face and he released Lia's arm. "I have one thing to say then. Big O!," he shouted, pointing up toward where he thought the man was. "It's show time!"

"You don't listen well do you?" the cloaked man laughed. Petri moved his arm so he pointed it in the right direction. "You can't summon your Ka."

"Then it's a good thing I already did?" Petri replied. The ceiling suddenly gave way to a giant hand, which collided with the cloaked man, slamming him into the seats and leaving a hole where he landed.

"Aw yeah, who's the man?" Petri congratulated himself.

"Bakura for shielding us from the roof caving in?" Malik offered with a smirk, looking up at the pyramid-shaped shield. "I guess that does solve the issue of the shadow creatures though…

""Big O it's show time?" Yugi asked, a hint of disgust in his tone.

"How long have you been waiting to say that?" Lia asked, rolling her eyes.

"A few weeks now," the blind teen admitted, still excited.

"Celebrate later," Bast said, all eyes moving to her as she appeared beside Bakura. "We need to leave **now**."

"Are yo- no, questions later," Rajan said, shaking his head. "What do you mean we need to leave now?"

Bast pointed to where the cloaked man had landed. "He isn't mortal. That was Zorc."

"What?" Everyone save Bakura asked in unison. The ground began shaking beneath them.

"Obelisk!" Petri cried, silently ordering the Ka to lower a hand for them to climb onto. As they rose into the air a massive, clawed hand shot up from the ground, its owner hauling himself to the surface.

"Summon Osiris!" Bast commanded. "We can't win, not with only the three gods. We have to retreat."

Rajan nodded and summoned Osiris, urging the dragon to come close enough for them to get on its back.

"There is no escaping." Zorc's voice boomed, reaching out to grab Osiris' tail. Obelisk suddenly pushed the hand away, throwing a punch with its other hand.

"Get us out of here Rajan," Petri snapped. "Obelisk can hold him off for a minute."

Bakura held Ryou closer to him as he glared at Zorc, his free hand extending to create a shield of light to protect them from being blown off. "Go as far as you can," he said.

"How noble," Zorc mocked, looking down at Obelisk, who stood a head shorter than him. "But foolish." He dodged another attack from the Ka before lunging forward, one hand catching him by the neck as his lower appendage wrapped around its torso, pinning one arm to its side.

"Petri, call Obelisk back," Bast demanded.

"I…" Petri grit his teeth, one hand on his neck, the other squeezed Lia's arm.

"If I can't have a hikari or control a yami," Zorc began, looking into Obelisk's eyes. "I'll just have to kill a god." He raked the claws of his free hand across Obelisk's chest from left shoulder to right hip, mirroring Petri's own injury. "You can go now," he said, releasing Obelisk with a slight toss. Immediately the creature vanished. "One down."

Petri screamed, dropping to his knees and clutching his chest. Marik reacted instantly, dropping beside the teen and holding him up. Lia took a step back, realizing what was happening to her friend.

"We need to get him to a doctor," she said, though she already knew it wouldn't help. She drew a breath to try and calm herself and began issuing commands to her gazer. "Rajan, head east."

* * *

AN: Yep, this seems like a good place to stop.

Yay! Ryou's finally in the story! I'm sure there are questions but I promise there will be answers soon.

(1) This is a reference to something I learned from Game Grumps. They had Grant Kirkhope on one of their episodes, who did the voice for Mumbo in Banjo Kazooie among other things. He revealed that in Mumbo's speech the phrase "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough" was used at one point, which is a sports taunt in England I think. I thought it was a cool line XD

Anyway, time to start working on the next chapter. Hopefully it doesn't take as long.


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